title: Effect of anaesthetic agents administered to the mothers on transcutaneous bilirubin levels in the neonates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of anaesthetic agents on transcutaneous bilirubin levels during the first 24 h in neonates delivered by caesarean section.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 168 neonates delivered by caesarean section, during which sevoflurane was used for general anaesthesia (group A), bupivacaine for spinal anaesthesia (group B), levobupivacaine for epidural anaesthesia (group C) and 155 neonates delivered vaginally were included in the study. Transcutaneous bilirubin levels (TBLs) of infants were measured during the first 24 h and compared with each other.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TBLs in neonates delivered vaginally were higher than those delivered by caesarean section, but the difference was not significant. TBLs were higher in groups A and C than in group B (p = 0.034, p = 0.011 respectively). TBLs were higher in group C than in group A, but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). When the groups were compared with vaginal delivery group, TBLs in groups A and C were found higher (p = 0.03, p = 0.022 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The route of delivery had no effect on TBL. While bupivacaine was found to have no effect on neonatal bilirubin levels, levobupivacaine increased neonatal biluribin levels, but further studies are needed for definite results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alkan
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tiraş
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dallar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sunay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000765:Anesthesia, Conduction; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051556:Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D008297:Male; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000009:adverse effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D000077149:Sevoflurane
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D001663:Bilirubin; D002045:Bupivacaine