Effectiveness of Dual-Blanket Phototherapy Compared With Combination Phototherapy on Rate of Bilirubin Decline and Treatment Duration.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of dual light-emitting diode (LED) blanket phototherapy compared with combination LED phototherapy on the rate of total serum bilirubin (TSB) decline and treatment duration among full-term neonates with hyperbilirubinemia. A retrospective chart review of 255 newborns with hyperbilirubinemia admitted to a free-standing, university-affiliated, nonprofit, tertiary care Children's Hospital was conducted. Phototherapy type, duration, and rate of TSB decline were compared. The rate of TSB decline was significantly higher among neonates treated with combination LED phototherapy than neonates treated with dual-blanket phototherapy (p <.0001). There was no significant difference in phototherapy duration. Combination phototherapy resulted in a more rapid decline in TSB but did not shorten phototherapy duration compared to dual-blanket phototherapy. Phototherapy duration may have been confounded by variability in the timing of TSB laboratory draws. Further comparative effectiveness studies are recommended.