Does intensive phototherapy produce hemolysis in newborns of 35 or more weeks gestation?
OBJECTIVE
Because there is some in vivo and in vitro evidence that standard phototherapy might produce hemolysis, we wished to know whether intensive phototherapy produces hemolysis.


METHODS
We measured end-tidal carbon monoxide (CO) concentration corrected for ambient CO (ETCOc) in 27 newborn infants > or =35 weeks gestation receiving intensive phototherapy (average irradiance 43 microW/cm2/nm).


RESULTS
There was a steady decrease in the mean ETCOc over the course of the phototherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Intensive phototherapy did not produce hemolysis in infants > or =35 weeks gestation.
Maisels
M J
MJ
Department of Pediatrics, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI 48073, USA. jmaisels@beaumont.edu
Kring
E A
EA
D001944:Breath Tests; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D005865:Gestational Age; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*
D002248:Carbon Monoxide