Comparison of the efficacy of conventional phototherapy with blue light tubes vs LEDs

Introduction: Hyperbilirubinemia (HB) is the main cause of admission to low risk neonatal units. New phototherapy devices (PT) allow the use of high dose of irradiance. Objective: To compare the efficacy of PT in terms of hours of treatment between blue light tubes and LEDs equipments with two levels of irradiance. Material and methods: Prospective controlled trial. Term or near-term infants with need of PT treatment according to AAP recommendations were randomized into three groups: blue lights PT with 30 µW/cm2/nm (BL) or LEDs PT with 30 µW/cm2/nm (L30) or 40 µW/cm2/nm (L40) at skin level. Results: 165 patients were included, 54 in the BL group, 56 in L30 and 55 in L40 group. Birth weight, gestational age, postnatal hours at randomization and total serum bilirubin (TSB) level at entry (18.9 ± 2 mg/dl in BL, 18.9 ± 2.2 in L30 and 19 ± 1.6 in L40) were similar between groups. Total time of PT were 54.4 ± 6.9 hours in BL, 53.4 ± 10.7 in L30 and 41.7 ± 6 in L40 (p <0.001). TSB levels at PT discontinuation (10.1 ± 1.7 mg/dl, 9.9 ± 1 and 8.9 ± 1.8, p = 0.002) and 24 hours later (9.6 ± 1.3 mg/dl, 9.8 ± 1.4 and 9 ± 1.8, p = 0.04) were lower in L40 group.Conclusions: PT treatment with LEDs at µW/cm2/nm reduced the duration of treatment in 12 hours compared with BL or LEDs at 30 µW/cm2/nm.