title: Jaundice, phototherapy and DNA damage in full-term neonates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Phototherapy is the standard therapeutic approach for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Oxidative effects of phototherapy may have potential harms, including DNA damage. Unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) might also possess antigenotoxic potential. Intensive phototherapy is more efficacious than conventional phototherapy in treating hyperbilirubinemia. This study aimed to assess the impact of hyperbilirubinemia and the two different types of phototherapy on DNA damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted on term neonates with non-hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia and control healthy neonates. Genotoxicity was assessed using single-cell gel electrophoresis (Comet assay) in peripheral mononuclear cells. Blood samples were obtained at enrollment in all infants and after intensive or conventional phototherapy in jaundiced infants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DNA damage did not significantly differ between jaundiced and non-jaundiced neonates (11.4±8.7 and 10.9±8.3 arbitrary units (AU), respectively, P=0.58). It increased significantly after exposure to phototherapy compared with prephototherapy values (45.6±14.7 vs 11.4±8.7 AU, respectively, P<0.001). The duration of phototherapy correlated positively with markers of DNA damage (r=0.86, P<0.001); however, the intensity of used light did not significantly impact genotoxicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hyperbilirubinemia does not influence DNA damage, whereas both conventional and intensive phototherapy are associated with DNA damage in term infants with hyperbilirubinemia.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ramy
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ghany
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Alsharany
authors.affiliation: Institute of Postgraduate Childhood, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nada
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Chemical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Darwish
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Chemical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Rabie
authors.affiliation: Division of Newborn Services, The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aly
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020552:Comet Assay / Q000379:methods*; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051556:Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome