We studied the usefulness of transcutaneous bilirubinometers in follow-up of bilirubin levels during phototherapy in neonatal jaundice patients.

Transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) was measured twice per day on 90 neonatal jaundice patients without risk factors of jaundice by transcutaneous bilirubinometer JM-103(Minolta/Hill-Rom Air-shields, Japan). TcB was measured simultaneously on the patched-forehead (TcB-PF), patched-chest( TcB-PC), unpatched-forehead (TcB-UF) and unpatched-chest (TcB-UC) of infants with neonatal jaundice. Plasma bilirubin (PB) was measured by American Optical bilirubinometer (American Optical Co, Buffalo, USA) within 30 minutes after transcutaneous bilirubinometer measurement. Each TcB was compared with PB.

In the study group, the mean gestational age was 38.6±1.3 wk, the mean birthweight was 3,207.0±472.1 g, the mean age at start of phototherapy was 4.9±0.9 days and the mean duration of phototherapy was 1.3±0.6 days. The correlation between TcB and PB level was observed. The correlation between TcB of the patched part (TcB-PF, TcB-PC) and PB was more significant than that of the unpatched part (TcB-UF, TcB-UC) and PB. The most significant correlation was between PB and TcB-PC.

TcB was useful in the follow-up of jaundice during phototherapy as well the screening of jaundice in neonatal jaundice patients. TcB of patched-chest area was the most reliable site in transcutaneous bilirubinometer examination in neonatal jaundice patients.