title: Covered skin transcutaneous bilirubin estimation is comparable with serum bilirubin during and after phototherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) from covered skin (TcB-C) during and after discontinuing phototherapy (PHT) is reliable in treating neonatal jaundice.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective observational study, before starting PHT, part of the forehead was covered. TcB-C and TcB from exposed skin (TcB-E) to PHT were measured before starting PHT, on a 12-hourly basis while receiving PHT and 6 h after stopping PHT. We used ANOVA (analysis of variance) and Bonferroni's t-tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 39 infants were enrolled (mean gestation 39 weeks, 51% males and 80% Hispanic). The mean TSB over all time periods was 10.9±2.4, TcB-C 10.9±2.4 and TcB-E 7.2±3.4. Before PHT, there were no significant differences in bilirubin by all three techniques. TcB-C was not significantly different from TSB at any time point. However, TcB-E was significantly lower during PHT and after stopping PHT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TcB-C is a reliable method in the management of neonatal jaundice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kyralessa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malloy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jain
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007567:Jaundice, Neonatal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001663:Bilirubin