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Prophylactic Phototherapy in ABO Incompatibility

Journal of Perinatology volume 25, page 805 (2005)Cite this article

Dear Editor:

The use of early phototherapy in infants with ABO incompatibility is a commonly employed clinical practice by many pediatricians. Yaseen et al.1 have provided a valuable addition to the literature regarding this practice. They found that while prophylactic phototherapy was associated with a significant decrease in total serum bilirubin within 48 hours, there was not sustained clinical benefit, and thus prophylactic phototherapy is not supported based on their data. Indeed, 68 percent of controls did not require phototherapy, so many infants treated in this manner would have received unnecessary intervention.

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References

  1. Yaseen H, Khalaf M, Rashid N, et al. Does prophylactic phototherapy prevent hyperbilirubinemia in neonates with ABO incompatibility and positive Coombs’ test? J Perinatol 2005;25:590–594.

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  2. Bhutani VK, Johnson L, Sivieri EM . Predictive ability of pre-discharge hour-specific serum bilirubin for subsequent significant hyperbilirubinemia in healthy and near-term newborns. Pediatrics 1999;103:6–14.

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  3. Subcommittee on hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn 35 or more weeks of gestation. Pediatrics 2004;114:297–316.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neonatology, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Howard J Birenbaum MD

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  1. Howard J Birenbaum MD
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Birenbaum, H. Prophylactic Phototherapy in ABO Incompatibility. J Perinatol 25, 805 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211397

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211397

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