<Journal> </Journal>

<ArticleTitle>Diagnostic Usefulness of Transcutaneous Bilirubinometry in Very Preterm Newborns</ArticleTitle>

<FirstPage>591</FirstPage>

<LastPage>591</LastPage>

<Language>EN</Language>

<AuthorList> </AuthorList>

<History></History>

<Abstract>Background: This study was performed to find out whethertranscutaneous 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 weremanaged in the neonatal intensive care unit of ShahidbeheshtiUniversity Hospital, Isfahan, Iran from April 2009 to April 2010.Transcutaneous bilirubin (TCB) measurements were obtainedusing BiliCheck&trade; shortly before or 10 minutes after taking bloodfor determination of the plasma bilirubin level in prematurenewborns, who did not receive phototherapy. We assessed thecorrelation between the transcutaneous bilirubin and plasmabilirubin 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 to17 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&lt;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&lt;0.001.Conclusion: Plasma bilirubin level can be accurately measured by BiliCheck&trade; in premature newborns, even in newborns who need mechanical ventilation.Keywords: Neonatal jaundice, phototherapy, preterm newborn,transcutaneous bilirubinometry</Abstract>