Transcutaneous bilirubin levels in healthy term and late preterm Indian neonates.

Objective: To provide normative data for transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) measurements in healthy term and late-preterm Indian neonates during first 72 h of age using a multiwavelength reflectance transcutaneous bilimeter.

Methods: TcB measurements were performed in healthy neonates (gestation 35 wk), in a well-baby ward, using a multiwavelength transcutaneous bilimeter (BiliCheck, SpectRx Inc, Norcross, GA). Age-specific percentiles values for each 6-h epoch starting at 0 h of age were calculated and an age-specific TcB nomogram was developed using different percentile values. Diagnostic ability of each percentile curve for prediction of hyperbilirubinemia, defined as requirement of phototherapy, was calculated.

Results: We performed 925 TcB measurements on 625 healthy newborn infants (gestation: 35 to 41 wk; age: 0 to 72 h; mean birth weight: 2808+/-437 g). TcB increased in a linear manner with maximum rate of rise observed during first 24 h of age (50th percentile: 0.22 mg/dL/h). 50th percentile curve of age-specific TcB nomogram had high negative predictive value (99.8%) and acceptable positive predictive value (16.4%) for prediction of hyperbilirubinemia.

Conclusion: We provided age-specific nomogram of TcB for first 72 h of age in healthy term and late-preterm Indian neonates. Percentile curves and rate of rise in TcB may help in identification of neonates at low-risk of development of hyperbilirubinemia facilitating their safer discharge from the hospital. Diagnostic utility of this nomogram for predicting hyperbilirubinemia needs to be tested in a separate validation cohort.