Phototherapy for Neonatal Jaundice

A topic in Clinical Evidence 1 summarizes the results of one RCT comparing phototherapy with no treatment for neonatal jaundice in a group of 141 infants weighing 2000-2499 g at birth, whose serum bilirubin level was at least 10mg/dl. Phototherapy decreased the number of infants with exchange transfusion compared with no treatment (4.3% with phototherapy vs 25.4% with not treatment, p = 0.002).

Phototherapy is an effective treatment and an established practice for hyperbilirubinemia ,2 3 4.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by imprecise results (few patients).

The following decision support rules contain links to this evidence summary:

• Phototherapy for neonatal jaundice http://www.ebmeds.org/ebmeds/ebmeds_home.asp?mode=scripts&submode=view&id=scr00556&country=UK

References

• Akobeng A. Neonatal Jaundice. Clinical Evidence 2004;12:503-506.
• Muchowski KE. Evaluation and treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Am Fam Physician 2014;89(11):873-8. [PubMed]
• Ip S, Chung M, Kulig J et al. An evidence-based review of important issues concerning neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Pediatrics 2004;114(1):e130-53. [PubMed]
• NICE 2010 May:CG98; updated October 2016http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg98/chapter/Recommendations#management-and-treatment-of-hyperbilirubinaemia