Fiberoptic vs conventional home phototherapy for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia

Two methods of administering home phototherapy were compared. Twenty-two infants received home phototherapy with a fiberoptic cummerbund, and 26 infants received home phototherapy with a conventional four-bul "bililight." The two treatment modalities proved equally effective in lowering bilirubin levels. The duration of treatment was a mean of 3.09 days in the fiberoptic group and 2.77 days in the bililight group, and the daily decline in bilirubin levels was a mean of 1.84 mg/dL/day in the fiberoptic group and 2.18 mg/dL/day in the bililight group. Differences were not statistically significant (Student's t-test, two-tailed). Upon completion of therapy, mothers responded to 15 statements intended to measure attitudes and perceptions regarding home phototherapy. In four of the 15 statements there was a statistically significant preference for fiberoptic therapy, as measured with the chi-square statistic (p less than .05), while in the remaining statements there were no preferences expressed toward either treatment modality. Fiberoptic home phototherapy appears to be as effective as home phototherapy administered with conventional bililights and may be better accepted by parents.