Phototherapy induces oxidative stress in premature neonates.

BACKGROUND

Phototherapy is a widely used treatment modality for unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in newborn infants. We investigated whether phototherapy leads to oxidative stress in preterm newborns.

METHODS

Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBRS) were measured in the blood of 30 icteric preterm newborn infants, before and after 96 hours of continuous blue-light phototherapy. The mean (SD) gestational age was 32.3 (1.8) weeks and birth weight was 1606 (288) grams. The mean age of onset of jaundice was 44 (21.4) hours.

RESULTS

The maximum total serum bilirubin was 14.6 (1.5) mg/dL and that after phototherapy was 8.6 (0.8) mg/dL. TBRS levels after phototherapy were significantly higher than those before phototherapy (11.4 [2.9] vs. 6.9 [2.2] nmol/L; [p<0.001]).

CONCLUSION

Blue-light phototherapy induces an oxidative stress in preterm neonates.