title: Influence of bilirubin photoisomers on unbound bilirubin measurement in clinical settings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Measured unbound bilirubin concentration is influenced by bilirubin photoisomers. Bilirubin photoisomers are produced even with only a slight light exposure, and clinical samples are inevitably exposed to light. The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of bilirubin photoisomers on the measurement of unbound bilirubin using serum of jaundiced neonates during blue light phototherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five neonates treated with phototherapy for hyperbilirubinaemia were enrolled. The samples were taken 12 h after initiation of phototherapy. Samples were processed by irradiation with blue light, by indoor ceiling light, by both blue light and indoor ceiling light or shaded. Bilirubin subfractions, total bilirubin and unbound bilirubin were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the non-irradiated samples, the (EZ)-cyclobilirubin concentration and (ZE)-bilirubin/(ZZ)-bilirubin ratio significantly increased in the blue light-irradiated samples, the (ZE)-bilirubin/(ZZ)-bilirubin ratio significantly increased in the indoor ceiling light-irradiated samples, and the (EZ)-cyclobilirubin, (EZ)-bilirubin and (ZE)-bilirubin/(ZZ)-bilirubin ratio significantly increased in the samples irradiated with both lights. No change was noted in unbound bilirubin in any group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We consider that changes in bilirubin photoisomers induced by light exposure during clinical practice do not influence the measured unbound bilirubin concentration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, Japan. hiokada@kms.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kusaka
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koyano
authors.forename: Kosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koyano
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kunikata
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwase
authors.forename: Saneyuki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Isobe
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itoh
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D019963:Clinical Chemistry Tests / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D051556:Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007536:Isomerism; D008027:Light; D010789:Phototherapy
chemical_list: D001663:Bilirubin