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Transcutaneous Microcirculatory Imaging in Preterm Neonates
Published on: December 31, 2015
Using BiliCheck for preterm neonates in a sub-intensive unit: diagnostic usefulness and suitability
Daniele De Luca1, Enrico Zecca, Pierluigi de Turris
1Division of Neonatology, A. Gemelli University Hospital, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. dm.deluca@fastwebnet.it <dm.deluca@fastwebnet.it>
Early Human Development
|September 5, 2006
Summary
BiliCheck (BC) offers reliable jaundice screening in preterm infants, potentially reducing blood draws and costs. While accurate, it tends to overestimate bilirubin levels, making it best suited for initial screening.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Medical Devices
- Diagnostic Tools
Background:
- Transcutaneous bilirubinometry (BiliCheck, BC) is a novel device for diagnosing jaundice.
- Previous studies confirm BC accuracy in term infants, but its utility in preterm infants remains under-explored.
- Jaundice management in preterm infants requires reliable, non-invasive diagnostic tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the usefulness and suitability of BiliCheck for diagnosing jaundice in preterm infants.
- To assess the accuracy of BC compared to serum bilirubin measurements in preterm neonates.
- To determine the influence of factors like hematocrit and gestational age on BC accuracy.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 340 preterm infants (30-36 weeks gestational age) compared transcutaneous and serum bilirubin measurements.
- Factors influencing BC accuracy, including hematocrit, pH, postnatal age, gestational age, and sex, were analyzed.
- Cost and time-effectiveness were evaluated for a subset of 100 neonates.
Main Results:
- A strong correlation (r=0.795, p<0.001) was found between BC and serum bilirubin, unaffected by other studied factors.
- BC demonstrated 100% sensitivity but variable specificity (40-72%), with a tendency to overestimate high bilirubin levels.
- BC is faster but more expensive per measurement than serum analysis; however, it can avoid 58-79% of blood samples, leading to significant cost savings.
Conclusions:
- BiliCheck shows good reliability for jaundice screening in preterm infants, though less precise than in term infants.
- BC serves as a valuable time-saving tool for improving neonatal jaundice management in preterm populations.
- Due to its overestimation tendency, BC is recommended primarily for screening purposes to guide further testing.
