The role of intensive phototherapy in decreasing the need for exchange transfusion in neonatal jaundice.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of intensive phototherapy in reducing the need for exchange transfusion and the duration of phototherapy.

Methods: The prospective study with historical controls was conducted at Cairo University Paediatric Hospital, from February to July 2012, and comprised 360 newborns with indirect hyperbilirubinaemia. The 183 subjects were treated with Bilisphere 360 (Bilisphere group) compared with 177 who had been treated with conventional phototherapy (control group). Both groups were subjected to complete clinical evaluation and laboratory investigations.

Results: Bilisphere 360 decreased the need for exchange transfusion in 19 (10.4%) neonates of the Bilisphere group versus 130 (73.4%) of the control group (p<0.001); decreased the level of serum bilirubin as exchange transfusion (6.7 mg/dl [24.9%] in the subjects vs. 6.9 mg/dl [22.7%] in the controls); shortened the duration of phototherapy (2.7 days in the subjects, vs. 4.2 days in the controls; p<0.001).

Conclusion: The use of Bilisphere 360 in the treatment of indirect pathological hyperbilirubinaemia is as effective as exchange transfusion in lowering Total Serum Bilirubin when its level is within 2-3 mg/dl (34-51umol/l) of the exchange level. Bilisphere 360 is effective in reducing needs for exchange transfusion and duration of phototherapy.