Efficacy of double and triple phototherapy in term newborns with hyperbilirubinemia: the first clinical trial.
BACKGROUND
Icterus is the most common medical problem in neonates and phototherapy is the standard treatment for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and length of hospital stay of double and triple phototherapy in newborns with indirect hyperbilirubinemia.


METHODS
In a clinical trial, 40 healthy term newborns (gestational age >37 weeks) with bilirubin > or =12 and > or =15 mg/dL in the second and third day, respectively, were randomly assigned to triple (n=20) or double phototherapy (n=20) groups. Total and direct serum bilirubin were measured at admission, 8, 16, and 24 hours after beginning of phototherapy, and every 12 hours thereafter until discharge (when bilirubin levels reached < or =10 mg/dL).


RESULTS
There were 21 male (52%) and 19 female (48%) term neonates, with significant difference between patients' age, weight, and age of icterus. There was no significant difference in the rate of bilirubin decline between the two groups within the first 8, 16 and 24 hours. There was no significant difference in mean length of hospital stay between the two groups. Analysis of complications showed no difference between triple and double groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Triple phototherapy failed to reduce total serum bilirubin and shorten length of hospitalization more rapidly than double phototherapy.
Naderi
Salma
S
Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Hormozgan Medical University, Hormozgan, Iran. swt_f@yahoo.com
Safdarian
Fatemeh
F
Mazloomi
Davood
D
Bushehri
Elham
E
Hamidian
Reza
R
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051556:Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal / Q000628:therapy*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*