Abstract

Background: Hyperbilirubinemia is one of the most common problem in neonates. An estimation of the bilirubin value is essential for decision making in jaundiced babies. Transcutaneous bilirubin screening is a quick, non invasive technique to measure bilirubin levels in neonates. The objective of this study was to evaluate the TcB and analyze the correlation with serum bilirubin values and find out whether TcB measurement could avoid invasive serum bilirubin measurements. Material and methods: this is a prospective study conducted in BRIMS Bidar for a period of one year from June 2016 to June 2017. A total of 210 cases are enrolled in the study. Babies admitted to NICU for various reasons who developed jaundice during the stay are included. Inclusion criteria is babies from day 1 to day 28. Babies more than 28 days and less than 28 weeks of gestation are excluded. Transcutaneous bilirubin measurement was done using the bilirubin meter (dragger JM 103) and simultaneously a serum sample for bilirubin was done before starting phototherapy. Results: there is a close correlation between serum bilirubin and transcutaneous bilirubin measurement. It was observed that r value for serum bilirubin and transcutaneous bilirubin for different age group, different weight group, and gestational ages are significant. Conclusion: the study demonstrates clearly that there is a good correlation between the TcB and serum bilirubin levels. The TcB meter can be used for measurement of bilirubin levels in NICU non-invasively.

Authors and Affiliations