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:

Comparison between Bilistick System and transcutaneous bilirubin in assessing total bilirubin serum concentration in jaundiced newborns

Abstract

Objective:

To compare the performance and accuracy of the JM-103 transcutaneous bilirubinometer and Bilistick System in measuring total serum bilirubin for the early identification of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.

Study Design:

The study was performed on 126 consecutive term and near-term (36 weeks' gestational age) jaundiced newborns in Cairo University Children Hospital NICU, Egypt. Total serum bilirubin was assayed concurrently by the clinical laboratory and Bilistick System and estimated using the JM-103 transcutaneous bilirubin instrument. Bland–Altman analysis was used to evaluate the agreement between determinations.

Result:

The limits of agreement of the Bilistick System (−5.8 to 3.3 mg dl−1) and JM-103 system (−5.4 to 6.0 mg dl−1) versus the clinical laboratory results were similar.

Conclusion:

The Bilistick System is an accurate alternative to transcutaneous (TcB) determination for early diagnosis and proper management of the neonatal jaundice.

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

Access options

Buy this article

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

Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bhutani VK, Zipursky A, Blencowe H, Khanna R, Sgro M, Ebbesen F et al. Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and Rhesus disease of the newborn: incidence and impairment estimates for 2010 at regional and global levels. Pediatr Res 2013; 74 (Suppl 1): 86–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Maisels MJ . Managing the jaundiced newborn: a persistent challenge. CMAJ 2015; 187 (5): 335–343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Olusanya BO, Ogunlesi TA, Slusher TM . Why is kernicterus still a major cause of death and disability in low-income and middle-income countries? Arch Dis Child 2014; 99 (12): 1117–1121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Olusanya BO, Ogunlesi TA, Kumar P, Boo N-Y, Iskander IF, de Almeida MFB et al. Management of late-preterm and term infants with hyperbilirubinaemia in resource-constrained settings. BMC Pediatr 2015; 15: 39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Hameed NN, Na’ Ma AM, Vilms R, Bhutani VK . Severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and adverse short-term consequences in Baghdad. Iraq Neonatol 2011; 100 (1): 57–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Brown AK, Damus K, Kim MH, King K, Harper R, Campbell D et al. Factors relating to readmission of term and near-term neonates in the first two weeks of life. Early Discharge Survey Group of the Health Professional Advisory Board of the Greater New York Chapter of the March of Dimes. J Perinat Med 1999; 27 (4): 263–275.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hemmati F, Kiyani Rad NA . The value of bilicheck as a screening tool for neonatal jaundice in the South of iran. Iran J Med Sci 2013; 38 (2): 122–128.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Bhutani VK, Gourley GR, Adler S, Kreamer B, Dalin C, Johnson LH . Noninvasive measurement of total serum bilirubin in a multiracial predischarge newborn population to assess the risk of severe hyperbilirubinemia. Pediatrics 2000; 106 (2): E17.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Subcommittee on Hyperbilirubinemia. Management of hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn infant 35 or more weeks of gestation. Pediatrics 2004; 114 (1): 297–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ebbesen F, Vandborg PK, Trydal T . Comparison of the transcutaneous bilirubinometers BiliCheck and Minolta JM-103 in preterm neonates. Acta Paediatr 2012; 101 (11): 1128–1133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Raimondi F, Lama S, Landolfo F, Sellitto M, Borrelli AC, Maffucci R et al. Measuring transcutaneous bilirubin: a comparative analysis of three devices on a multiracial population. BMC Pediatr 2012; 12: 70.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Olusanya BO, Imosemi DO, Emokpae AA . Differences between transcutaneous and serum bilirubin measurements in black African neonates. Pediatrics 2016; 138: 3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Taylor JA, Burgos AE, Flaherman V, Chung EK, Simpson EA, Goyal NK et al. Discrepancies between transcutaneous and serum bilirubin measurements. Pediatrics 2015; 135 (2): 224–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Knüpfer M, Pulzer F, Braun L, Heilmann A, Robel-Tillig E, Vogtmann C . Transcutaneous bilirubinometry in preterm infants. Acta Paediatr 2001; 90 (8): 899–903.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Murli L, Thukral A, Sankar MJ, Vishnubhatla S, Deorari AK, Paul VK et al. Reliability of transcutaneous bilirubinometry from shielded skin in neonates receiving phototherapy: a prospective cohort study. J Perinatol 2016; 37 (2): 182–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Coda Zabetta CD, Iskander IF, Greco C, Bellarosa C, Demarini S, Tiribelli C et al. Bilistick: a low-cost point-of-care system to measure total plasma bilirubin. Neonatology 2013; 103 (3): 177–181.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Greco C, Arnolda G, Boo N-Y, Iskander IF, Okolo AA, Rohsiswatmo R et al. Neonatal jaundice in low- and middle-income countries: lessons and future directions from the 2015 Don Ostrow Trieste Yellow Retreat. Neonatology 2016; 110 (3): 172–180.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Gotink MJ, Benders MJ, Lavrijsen SW, Rodrigues Pereira R, Hulzebos CV, Dijk PH . Severe Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia in the Netherlands. Neonatology 2013; 104 (2): 137–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Brown S, Small R, Faber B, Krastev A, Davis P . Early postnatal discharge from hospital for healthy mothers and term infants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2002; Issue 3. Art. No.: CD002958.

  20. Iskander I, Gamaleldin R, Kabbani M . Root causes for late presentation of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in Egypt. East Mediterr Health J 2012; 18 (8): 882–887.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Gamaleldin R, Iskander I, Seoud I, Aboraya H, Aravkin A, Sampson PD et al. Risk factors for neurotoxicity in newborns with severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Pediatrics 2011; 128 (4): e925–e931.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Casnocha Lucanova L, Matasova K, Zibolen M, Krcho P . Accuracy of transcutaneous bilirubin measurement in newborns after phototherapy. J Perinatol 2016; 36 (10): 858–861.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Bland JM, Altman DG . Measuring agreement in method comparison studies. Stat Methods Med Res 1999; 8 (2): 135–160.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Carstensen B. Design of Method Comparison Studies, in Comparing Clinical Measurement Methods: A Practical Guide. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester, UK, 2011, pp 127–131..

  25. Allen NM, Mohammad F, Foran A, Corcoran D, Clarke T . Severe hyperbilirubinaemia and kernicterus: more caution is needed in newborn jaundice surveillance. Ir Med J 2009; 102 (7): 228–229.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Rubaltelli FF, Gourley GR, Loskamp N, Modi N, Roth-Kleiner M, Sender A et al. Transcutaneous bilirubin measurement: a multicenter evaluation of a new device. Pediatrics 2001; 107 (6): 1264–1271.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Campbell DM, Danayan KC, McGovern V, Cheema S, Stade B, Sgro M . Transcutaneous bilirubin measurement at the time of hospital discharge in a multiethnic newborn population. Paediatr Child Health 2011; 16 (3): 141–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C Tiribelli.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

Dr Tiribelli is the President and CEO of Bilimetrix s.r.l., and Drs Greco and Coda Zabetta are the employees of Bilimetrix s.r.l. The remaining authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Greco, C., Iskander, I., Akmal, D. et al. Comparison between Bilistick System and transcutaneous bilirubin in assessing total bilirubin serum concentration in jaundiced newborns. J Perinatol 37, 1028–1031 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2017.94

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2017.94

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links