Comparison of diagnostic accuracy of transcutaneous bilirubin at different sites with serum total bilirubin measurement in preterm neonate

Abstract

Background: Transcutaneous bilirubin measurement (TcB) is widely used in term babies, but its effectiveness as well as the suitable site for (TcB) measurement in preterm babies still debated. Aim and Objective: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of different transcutaneous bilirubin sites with serum total bilirubin measurement in preterm neonate. Methods: This prospective comparative study was carried out in special care baby unit at Alwahda teaching hospital-Derna-Libya. (102) preterm infants (gestational age less than 37 weeks) in whom clinical jaundice was significant mandating TSB measurement were included in the study. Study subjects who met the inclusion criteria were chosen consecutively. All the measurements were carried out within first postnatal week. Transcutaneous bilirubin was measured from four sites: forehead, sternum, abdomen and interscapular region and within 30 min of TSB measurement. Results: Correlation coefficients of transcutaneous bilirubin measured from forehead, sternum, abdomen and interscapular sites were 0.69, 0.70, 0.67 and 0.69 respectively. TcB measured from all the four sites correlated significantly with serum bilirubin (p < 0.001), but the correlation was best at abdominal site. Conclusions: Transcutaneous bilirubin measurement is an acceptable method for identification of hyperbilirubinemia requiring treatment in preterm newborns.