Double versus single phototherapy in term newborns with significant hyperbilirubinemia

Authors: Üit Sarici S.; Alpay F.; Ünay B.; Özcan O.; Gökçy E.

Source: Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, Volume 46, Number 1, February 2000 , pp. 36-39(4)

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Abstract:

The efficacy of double phototherapy, in the form of conventional phototherapy with special blue light plus fiberoptic phototherapy, was compared with conventional phototherapy consisting of special blue lamps alone in a relatively larger series of term newborns with significant hyperbilirubinemia. During the study period the sum of the average spectral irradiances in the double phototherapy group was significantly higher than that of the single phototherapy group (p<0.05). Phototherapy was effective in decreasing bilirubin levels in both groups, but the response was greater in the double phototherapy group; the duration of exposure to phototherapy was significantly shorter (31.2 ± 8.5 vs. 38.98 ± 14.7 h, p<0.05), and the overall bilirubin decline rate as mol/l/h and per cent/h was significantly greater in the double phototherapy group (4.1 ± 1.37 vs. 3.3 ± 0.86 mol/l/h, and 1.29 ± 0.38 vs. 1.02 ± 0.44 per cent/h, p<0.05). In phototherapy treatment of term newborns with significant hyperbilirubinemia, double phototherapy provided more rapid and effective bilirubin reduction than conventional phototherapy alone due to higher spectral irradiance and larger body surface area exposed to phototherapy. The value of double phototherapy in the treatment of newborns with hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia remains to be determined.

Language: English

Document Type: Original article

Affiliations: E-mail: cocuksag@gata.edu.tr Department of Pediatrics, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, 06018 Etlik, Ankara, Turkey : 1: Corresponding author

Publication date: 2000-02-01

• The Journal of Tropical Pediatrics provides a link between theory and practice in the field. Papers report key results of clinical and community research, and considerations of programme development. More general descriptive pieces are included when they have application to work preceeding elsewhere. The journal also presents review articles, book reviews and, occasionally, short monographs and selections of important papers delivered at relevant conferences.

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• In this Subject: Internal Medicine ,  Pediatrics
• By this author: Üit Sarici S. ;  Alpay F. ;  Ünay B. ;  Özcan O. ;  Gökçy E.

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