EFFECT OF PHOTOTHERAPY ON SERUM IONIC CALCIUM LEVEL IN NEONATES WITH HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA

*Dr. Nishant Prabhakar, Dr. Monica Lazarus and Dr. Mahendra Ahirwar

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the effect of phototherapy on serum calcium level in newborn with hyperbilirubinemia. Design: Prospective case-control study. Material and Methods: Only healthy term neonates with weight appropriate for gestational age (>2.49kg), of age 3-7 postnatal day included in the study. Newborns with hyperbilirubinemia >15mg/dl and received phototherapy were included as cases and controls were newborns fully matched with cases randomly selected who had hyperbilirubinemia but managed without phototherapy. Both the cases and controls were fully matched with respect to age, sex, period of gestation and birth weight. Serum calcium along with serum bilirubin was measured at the onset and then at 24 and 48 hours of phototherapy by OCPC method. Results: Out of 24 cases 66.67% developed hypocalcaemia and there was a significant difference observed between cases and controls(P=0.00016). It was also observed that out of hypocalcaemic cases 81.25% were symptomatic. In symptomatic cases 23% were lethargic, 39% had jitteriness and 38% were irritable. Conclusion: After 48 hours of phototherapy, it causes hypocalcaemia in full term born neonate with hyperbilirubinemia.

Keywords: Indirect hyperbilirubinemia, phototherapy, serum calcium level, term neonates.