Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Phototherapy Increases Hemoglobin Degradation and Bilirubin Production in Preterm Infants

Journal of Perinatology volume 19, pages 271–274 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To compare hemoglobin degradation and bilirubin production before and during phototherapy in preterm infants.

BACKGROUND:

Hemoglobin is catabolized into globin and heme, which is degraded by microsomal heme oxygenase into equimolar carbon monoxide and biliverdin. Biliverdin is then reduced into bilirubin. CO is excreted exclusively by the lungs; therefore, end-tidal carbon monoxide, corrected for inhaled CO (ETCOc), reflects hemoglobin degradation and total bilirubin production.

METHOD:

A prospective study design was used, including a study group of 24 preterm infants requiring phototherapy. Infants with hemolytic diseases, sepsis, recent blood transfusions, and infants on mechanical ventilation were excluded. ETCOc was measured in preterm infants before and during phototherapy. Hemoglobin degradation and bilirubin production were calculated by measuring ETCOc.

RESULTS:

The (mean ± SD) birth weight of 24 preterm neonates was 1975 ± 613 gm, gestational age was 32.7 ± 2.3 weeks, hematocrit was 47.5 ± 6.2 volume %, and peak bilirubin was 13.1 ± 3.2 mg/dl. First ETCOc measurements were done at 59.6 ± 22.2 hours of age immediately before starting phototherapy. The second ETCOc measurements were taken at 13.7 ± 7.9 hours after starting phototherapy. The second measurement of 2.6 ± 0.6 ppm (mean ± SD) was significantly higher than the first ETCOc of 2.1 ± 0.6 ppm (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Phototherapy increases hemoglobin degradation and bilirubin production in preterm infants.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neonatology, St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo

    Moustafa M Aouthmany MD FAAP

Authors
  1. Moustafa M Aouthmany MD FAAP
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Presented in part at the annual meeting of the American Academy ofPediatrics in Boston, MA, October 1996 and at the 1996 Workshop onPerinatal Practice, the AAP Section on Perinatal Pediatrics inScottsdale, AZ, April 1996.

This project was supported in part by F. M. Douglass Foundationgrant 135 and St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Aouthmany, M. Phototherapy Increases Hemoglobin Degradation and Bilirubin Production in Preterm Infants. J Perinatol 19, 271–274 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7200184

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7200184

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links