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Abstract

Background: The most frequent abnormal physical finding in the first week of life is hyperbilirubinemia, which is found in 60% of term and 80% of preterm newborns. It can be managed by phototherapy, exchange transfusions, and pharmaceuticals. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to assess the impact of phototherapy and its duration on serum calcium levels in newborns hospitalized for neonatal jaundice. Patients and Method: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 neonates with exaggerated physiological jaundice who had been treated with phototherapy in Baghdad over a period of 10 months. The levels of total serum bilirubin and calcium were measured before and after phototherapy, and the number of hours spent receiving phototherapy was noted. Results: The mean serum level of calcium and total bilirubin at admission was 9.43±0.67 mg/dl and 18.2±2.78 mg/dl, respectively which dropped to 8.06±1.18 mg/dl and 8.96±2.0 mg/dl, respectively at discharge with highly significant differences. Serum calcium demonstrated a positive significant correlation with birth weight (r= 0.208, p= 0.038, and a significant negative correlation with the duration of phototherapy (r= -0.492, p<0.001). Each age, gender, and mode of delivery had non-significant relationships with post-phototherapy hypocalcemia. Conclusion: Phototherapy is a significant risk factor for the occurrence of hypocalcemia, and serum calcium has a negative correlation with the duration of phototherapy and a positive correlation with birth weight.

DOI

10.52573/ipmj.2023.141440.1084

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