Accuracy of Transcutaneous Bilirubinometer Estimates Using BiliCheck®®®®® in Thai Neonates
Waricha Janjindamai, MD*, Thirachai Tansantiwong, MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Pediatrics, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla
Background : Neonatal jaundice is the most frequently encountered diagnostic and therapeutic problem in
the newborn. In the jaundiced infant, it is thought that the binding capacity of plasma albumin is exceeded,
which allows free bilirubin to diffuse into and accumulate within extravascular tissues, such as the central
nervous system. Affected newborns may develop kernicterus. The standard method of serum bilirubin
measurement requires blood specimen taken by heel prick or venepunetue which involves pain of the newborn
and is time consuming. A non invasive, transcutaneous measurement of bilirubin concentration is developed
to be an alternative method as a reliable for the screening method to detect hyperbilirubinemia
Objective : To compare the estimates of serum bilirubin using a recently introduced device called a BiliCheck®
and its transcutaneous bilirubinometer index with the standard direct spectrophotometric measurement of
serum bilirubin.
Design : Prospective descriptive study.
Materials and Methods : Estimates of serum bilirubin, as measured using the BiliCheck®, were compared with
serum bilirubin concentration measured by direct spectrophotometry in neonates at Songklanagarind
Hospital. Transcutaneous bilirubinometer readings were taken on the forehead.
Results : Eighty-two newborns were enrolled in the present study. The means and standard deviations of
serum bilirubin concentration and transcutaneous bilirubinometer index were 11.96 + 2.98 and 11.61 +
2.93 mg/dl, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.44, paired t-test). The
correlation coefficient between total serum bilirubin and BiliCheck® index was 0.95 with the linear regression
equation of Y= 0.99 x + 0.4.
Conclusion : Serum bilirubin can be accurately measured by the transcutaneous bilirubinometer index in
full term newborn infants prior to any intervention modalities
Keywords : Neonatal jaundice, Transcutaneous bilirubinometer
