Transcutaneous bilirubin levels for the first 120 postnatal hours in healthy neonates.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to provide data on transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) levels for the first 120 postnatal hours and to develop an hour-specific TcB nomogram for healthy term and near-term neonates.

METHODS

From September 2005 to August 2008, we obtained 14864 TcB measurements from 2818 healthy neonates (gestational age >or= 35 weeks and birth weight >or= 2000 g). All measurements were performed with the BiliCheck bilirubinometer, at designated times from 12 to 120 postnatal hours. TcB percentiles for each designated time were calculated and used for the development of an hour-specific nomogram. TcB percentiles for neonates who required phototherapy are also presented.

RESULTS

The developed TcB nomogram reflects the natural history of TcB levels in healthy neonates up to the fifth postnatal day. A different pattern of TcB increasing rate was noted in neonates who did and did not require phototherapy but with substantial overlap of TcB values between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

We provide data on TcB levels for the first 120 postnatal hours from a large population of white, healthy, term and near-term neonates. We also present a percentile-based TcB nomogram designated for noninvasive and hour-specific evaluation of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.