TRANSCUTANEOUS BILIRUBINOMETRY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF BILIRUBINEMIA IN TERM NEONATES

One hundred full term babies of both sexes were randomly selected for transcutaneous bilirubin index (TcBI) estimation at the forehead at 12 -24 h intervals from the time of appearance of clinical jaundice till the serum bilirubin levels fell within safe limits. TcBI was correlate d with serum bilirubin estimated by conventional diazo method. Forty b abies required phototherapy, in 20 an area of 2.5 cm2 over the forehea d was covered during phototheraphy to make an unexposed 'window' for T cBI estimation. The other 20 newborns received phototherapy as such an d TcBI was estimated on the forehead. There was a linear relationship between serum bilirubin level and TcBI estimated at the forehead (r = 0.9090; P < 0.001). Further a significant linear correlation between p rephototherapy and post-phototherapy (covered and uncovered groups) Tc BI and serum bilirubin levels also existed (r = 0.7979; P < 0.001). Th ere was no significant difference between post-phototherapy TcBI estim ated at the covered and uncovered areas of forehead. However, post-pho totherapy values of TcBI were significantly lower than corresponding p rephototherapy values at higher serum bilirubin levels (> 16 mg/dl).