Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine Nursing Interventions Combined with Phototherapy for Damp-Heat Type Neonatal...

Neonatal jaundice is one of the most frequently occurring conditions in newborns. This protocol describes the clinical implementation of two common care interventions, including standard phototherapy and clear water bathing or a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)-integrated nursing care, on the serum and inflammatory indicators in neonates with damp-heat type jaundice. This protocol was demonstrated using anonymized medical records of 120 neonates who received treatment between 2022 and 2023. Clinical outcome measures included total bilirubin (TBIL), indirect bilirubin (IBIL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Significant reductions in these serum and inflammatory markers were observed in both treatment groups (p < 0.001). The effect sizes on total bilirubin are large: Cohen d = 5.31 (clear water) and 5.37 (TCM-integrated). Similarly, marked reductions were observed in indirect bilirubin with d = 4.41 and d = 4.07, respectively. Improvements were also observed in ALT, AST, γ-GT, LDH, and CRP levels (AST: d = 3.31-3.73). CRP reductions were observed in both groups (d = 2.72 versus 2.24). Mixed ANOVA demonstrated significant main effects of time across all markers (TBIL F = 3427.51, p < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that ΔCRP was significantly associated with treatment effectiveness, suggesting a possible association between reduced systemic inflammation and clinical improvement (β = -1.771, p = 0.010). The adverse events are comparable between groups (incidence of rash: 10% vs. 15%, p = 0.581). Integrated TCM nursing interventions combined with standard phototherapy demonstrated treatment outcomes comparable to clear water bathing combined with phototherapy in improving clinical and biochemical parameters associated with neonatal jaundice.