[Transcutaneous bilirubinometry and early hospital discharge in low risk newborns with jaundice]

Discharge soon after birth and beginning of therapeutic interventions in jaundiced newborns depends on the assessment of bilirubin serum levels.

The comparison between total bilirubin serum levels with transcutaneous bilirubin levels and evaluate utility of a hand held device to measure transcutaneous bilirubin as a diagnostic tool to predict early discharge.

Transversal, prolective study. Near simultaneous measurements of serum and transcutaneous bilirubin was undertaken in newborns with birth weight > 2000 grams, gestational age > 36 weeks and extrauterine life under 72 hours.

100 newborns were enrolled, with birth weight 3,135 +/- 499.9 grams, gestational age of 38.85 +/- 1.4 weeks and 45.46 +/- 1.75 hours of life at the time of bilirubin measurement. Correlation coefficient was 0.81 (p < 0.0001).

Predischarge quantification of jaundice by transcutaneous bilirubin should be performed in all healthy newborns. Levels under 4.9 mg/dL within first 24 hours of life and values under 7.9 mg/dL between 48 to 72 hours, were considered safely to allow early discharge in newborns studied.