Transcutaneous Bilirubin Testing: A Screening Tool for Jaundiced Term and Near- Term Neonates

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the transcutaneous bilirubin (by Minolta JM-103 Jaundice Meter) as a screening tool in near term (≥35 weeks) to term neonates with jaundice who presented to our hospital.Methods: This prospective study which was done in Karbala teaching hospital for children, during the period from April 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010, studied the correlation between the total serum bilirubin (TSB) measurements by (APEL BR-501 BILIRUBIN METRE) and the paired transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) measurements (by Minolta JM-103 Jaundice Meter).Result: Transcutaneous bilirubin showed a good correlation with TSB (r=0.827) in 107 neonates aged between 1 to 13 days old. The mean difference between TcB and TSB was -1.15.Conclusion: Transcutaneous bilirubin (measured by JM-103) cannot be considered a substitute for laboratory measurement of TSB, but appears to be useful as a screening tool.