PHOTOTHERAPY

Hyperbilirubinemia is the most common abnormal physical finding in first fewweeks of lif and its most common management is phototherapy. Amongst other commoncomplications a less known complication of phototherapy is hypocalcemia. Objectives: To studythe incidence of phototherapy induced hypocalcemia in neonates and to have a comparisonbetween preterm and term neonates. Study design: Descriptive cross-sectional study.Setting: Paediatric Unit II DHQ Hospital Faisalabad, which is a tertiary care centre for all kind ofpatients. Duration of study with dates: Six months from 1-11-2012 to 30-04-2013. Methods:196 neonates with hyperbilirubinemia full term / preterm neonates admitted in pediatric DHQhospital faislabad were selected. Inclusion criteria. 1) Hyperbilirubinemia. 2) No hypocalcemiaon admission. 3) Received phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia. Serum Calcium levels weremeasured in all neonates before and 48 hours after receiving phototherapy. Incidence ofhypocalcemia among all neonates was calculated as an absolute percentage and the samplepopulation was also divided into preterm / full term neonates to evaluate the incidence ofhypocalcemia in these two groups individually. RESULTS: Mean serum calcium in neonateswas 7.5+- 1.5 mg / dl .16.84 % of neonates were found to have calcium level below the cut offvalue. 33 out of 196 developed hypocalcemia after phototherapy and out of these 54 % werepreterm and 45 % were term neonates . Conclusion: Phototherapy induceshypocalcemia in neonates more so in preterm neonates. Impact: Consideration for additionalcalcium supplementation should be undertaken in all neonates undergoing phototherapy andfurther randomized trials need to be done with these concerns.