1026 COMPARISON OF INCANDESCENT AND FLUORESCENT LIGHT SOURCES IN PHOTOTHERAPY

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficiency of an incandescent light source of high intensity in phototherapy of neonatal jaundice in comparison with a standard fluorescent source. Forty well infants with physiologic jaundice (1810-3320 gm.) were assigned at random to two groups of 20 each: Gp. A under a quartz-halide tungsten filament lamp (6.5 μW/cm2/nm) 80 cm. above skin surface, next to a radiant warmer; Gp. B under a canopy of 8 standard blue (F20T12/B) lamps (4.1 μW/cm2/nm.) 45 cm. above skin surface. Phototherapy was begun when serum bilirubin concentration exceeded 10.0 mg/dl in first 72 hr of life. In Gp. A, phototherapy was stopped when conc. <80 mg/dl. In Gp. B, this was done in two-thirds of infants, but stopped p 36 hr. in one-third because of failure of phototherapy. In Gp. A mean hr. Rx = 41.5, mean bili. drop 1.92 mg/dl/24 hr.*We conclude that the quartz-halide lamp placed high above the infant is more effective in the clinical use of phototherapy than the standard blue fluorescent light source. It has spatial advantage and lack of light scatter. Body temperatures in Gp. A were not increased by use of the quartz-halide lamp.*In Gp. B mean hr. Rx = 46.7 , mean bili. drop 0.48 mg/dl/24 hr.