The accuracy of transcutaneous bilirubin measurements in neonates: a correlation study.

A prospective observational study was conducted on 212 neonates born between 24 and 42 weeks of gestation who required blood sampling to determine total serum bilirubin (TSB) in the first week of life, prior to phototherapy. The transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) measurements were performed on the infant's forehead using BiliCheck within +/-30 min of a blood sample being drawn. There was significant (r = 0.78) correlation between bilirubin levels obtained transcutaneously and those measured in the infant's blood. The correlation was not affected by birth weight and was dependent on the bilirubin levels. The negative nonsignificant correlation appears when TSB levels are greater than 11 mg/dl. Thus, TcB measurements can accurately predict TSB values lower than 11 mg/dl in a multiracial preterm and term neonatal population. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel