Conventional Versus Intensive Phototherapy and Oxidative-stress Status in Neonates with Unconjugated Hyperbilirubinemia

Abstract

eonatal jaundice is one of the most common conditions. Although phototherapy is considered as a safe therapy in neonatal jaundice, it can be associated with oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage. Antioxidant defense systems which include enzymatic and non-enzymatic components are usually effective in opposing harmful effects of ROS. However, in pathological conditions, antioxidant systems can be overwhelmed and increased production of ROS and cause cell injury and death. The current study was performed to compare the effect of both conventional and intensive phototherapy on oxidant/antioxidant status in term and late-preterm neonates (≥35weeks) with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. In this prospective RCT, 80 term and late-preterm neonates (≥35weeks) with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia were admitted to NICUs in Maadi military hospital and Ain-Shams university hospital. They were randomly assigned to 2 groups: 40 patients were exposed to conventional phototherapy and the other 40 patient were exposed to intensive phototherapy. Total serum bilirubin, direct serum bilirubin, total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, serum iron, copper, zinc and calcium were measured before and 48 h after phototherapy.