Knudsen A
Predicting the need for phototherapy in healthy mature neonates using transcutaneous bilirubinometry on the first postnatal day.
Biol Neonate, 1995, 68:6, 398-403
SWITZERLAND

Since newborn infants are frequently sent home within 24-48 h after birth, the prediction of severe hyperbilirubinaemia, requiring treatment, is important. We tested the prediction of the need for phototherapy by measuring the yellow skin colour and the progression in yellow skin colour over 6 h using transcutaneous bilirubinometry (TcB), during the first 33 h of age. The first TcB reading at median 21 h (11-33 h, 5th and 95th percentiles) of age and the difference in readings over a 6-hour interval were reliable predictors of later phototherapy. An even better prediction was possible using the first TcB reading and the 6-hour difference in TcB readings.