[Transcutaneous bilirubin measurement in preterm infants]

Abstract

Transcutaneous bilirubinometry is an effective screening tool for neonatal jaundice in full-term babies. But its accuracy is not shown yet in preterm infants.

Methodology: We carried out a prospective study in a neonatal intensive care unit. The study included 47 preterm infants. From birth, a transcutaneous bilirubin measurement (BTc) using the BiliCheck was made on the forehead of each newborn every 8 h. Blood sampling for determination of total serum bilirubin (BS) was combined with BTc: 1) if value of BTc was higher than limits values for phototherapy; 2) on the second day of life and 3) 4 hours after cessation of phototherapy.

Results: Mean gestational age was 30 week and mean birth weight was 1419 g. We studied 151 pairs of BTc and BS. Mean values obtained by BTc and BS were respectively 160.6+/-50 mumol/L and 190.6+/-61.4 mumol/L. A significant correlation between BTc and BS was found. But the limits of agreement were very wide. The negative predictive value (NPV) of BTc was above 90% in each group of gestational age.

Discussion: The need for phototherapy cannot be determined by BTc in preterm infants. But the BTc is reliable when its value is under the limits for phototherapy.

Conclusion: With a very high incidence of neonatal jaundice (87%) in our cohort, a value of BTc under the limits for phototherapy has a good NPV in preterm infants.