The Study of A New Method in Treatment of Term Newborns with Non-Hemolytic Hyperbilirubinemia

The purpose of the study was to determine whether reduction of serum levels of bilirubin is more in full-term newborn with non-hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia that treated with new treatment than in matched control subjects.
Eighty consecutively admitted term healthy neonate with indirect hyperbilirubinemia and indication for phototherapy were randomized into receiving phenobarbital (3 mg/kg/day) plus phototherapy as new treatment method or phototherapy as routine method after obtaining informed consent. The neonate followed up until discharge. The total serum bilirubin levels were measured four times a day. Patient's data regarding variation of bilirubin and hospitalization duration collected and compared from the two groups. Results are presented as the mean, 95% confidence interval, 0.05% significance level and 80% power.
The baseline characteristics were similar in two groups. Mean ages were 5.5 ± 2.81 and 4.80 ± 1.68 days for control and case group respectively. Mean bilirubin levels in admission were 19.48 ± 2.80 mg/dl and 18.51 ± 1.66 for control and case group respectively. There was significant reduction of bilirubin levels in case group compared to control group (10.54 ± 3.00mg/dl versus 8.60 ± 1.99 mg/dl) (P=0.001). No significant difference with respect to duration of hospitalization was observed in two groups' (2.05 ± 0.59 days for control versus, 2.15 ± 0.80 days for case group).
In despite of significant reduction of bilirubin levels in case group compared to control group, combined treatment is not helpful in reducing of hospitalization days of non hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia in healthy term neonates.