Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2012 Apr;3(4):262-5.

Diagnostic usefulness of transcutaneous bilirubinometry in very preterm newborns

Zohreh Badiee  1 , Majid Mohammadizadeh, Masih Shamee
Affiliations

Diagnostic usefulness of transcutaneous bilirubinometry in very preterm newborns

Zohreh Badiee et al. Int J Prev Med. 2012 Apr.

Abstract

Background: This study was performed to find out whether transcutaneous bilirubinometry could be a valid screening method for hyperbilirubinemia in preterm infants, especially for those who needed mechanical ventilation.

Methods: We evaluated 63 preterm Iranian newborns who were managed in the neonatal intensive care unit of Shahidbeheshti University Hospital, Isfahan, Iran from April 2009 to April 2010. Transcutaneous bilirubin (TCB) measurements were obtained using BiliCheck(™) shortly before or 10 minutes after taking blood for determination of the plasma bilirubin level in premature newborns, who did not receive phototherapy. We assessed the correlation between the transcutaneous bilirubin and plasma bilirubin level by linear regression analysis. We also analyzed the gestational age, birth weight, postnatal age, sex, and hematocrit, for determination of their effect on transcutaneous bilirubin accuracy.

Results: The overall bilirubin concentration ranged from 5.4 to 17 mg/dL and from 4.8 to 17.3 mg/dl for total serum bilirubin (TSB) and transcutaneous bilirubin, respectively. The mean values obtained by transcutaneous bilirubinometry were slightly higher than the total TSB values. The correlation coefficient between TSB and TCB was r=0.82, P<0.001, and this was not influenced by gestational age, postnatal age or hematocrit, which were previously considered to be important. The correlation coefficient between TSB and TCB in mechanically ventilated preterm infants was r=0.75, P<0.001.

Conclusion: Plasma bilirubin level can be accurately measured by BiliCheck(™) in premature newborns, even in newborns who need mechanical ventilation.

Keywords: Neonatal jaundice; phototherapy; preterm newborn; transcutaneous bilirubinometry.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Correlation between TCB and TSB
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ebbesen F, Rasmussen LM, Wimberley PD. A new transcutaneous bilirubinometer, BiliCheck™, used in the neonatal intensive care unit and maternity ward. Acta Paediatr. 2002;91:203–11. - PubMed
    1. Luca DD, Zecca E, Turris PD, Barbato G, Marras M, Romagnoli C. Using BiliCheck™ for preterm neonates in a sub-intensive unit: Diagnostic usefulness and suitability. Early Hum Dev. 2007;83:313–7. - PubMed
    1. Trikalinos TA, Chung M, Lau J, Ip S. Systematic review of screening for bilirubin encephalopathy in neonates. Pediatrics. 2009;124:1162–71. - PubMed
    1. Rubaltelli FF, Gourley GR, Loskamp N, Modi N, Roth-Kleiner M, Sender A, et al. Transcutaneous bilirubin measurement: A multicenter evaluation of a new device. Pediatrics. 2001;107:1264–71. - PubMed
    1. Karoly L, Pohlandt F, Muche R, Mihatsch WA. Transcutaneous bilirubinometry in very low birth weight infants. Acta Paediatr. 2004;93:941–4. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources