[Effectiveness and safety of two phototherapy devices for the humanised management of neonatal jaundice]

An Experimental Phototherapy Device for Studying the Effects of Blue Light on Patients with Raynaud's Phenomenon

Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is a condition that causes decreased blood flow to areas perfused by small blood vessels (e.g., fingers, toes). In severe cases, ulceration, gangrene, and loss of fingers may occur. Most treatments focus on inducing vasorelaxation in affected areas by the way of pharmaceuticals. Recently, animal studies have shown that vasorelaxation can be induced by non-coherent blue light (wavelength ~ 430-460 nm) through the actions of melanopsin, a photoreceptive opsin protein encoded by the OPN4 gene. To study this effect in humans, a reliable phototherapy device (PTD) is needed. We outline the construction of a PTD to be used in studying blue light effects on Raynaud's patients. Our design addresses user safety, calibration, electromagnetic compatibility/interference (EMC/EMI), and techniques for measuring physiological responses (temperature sensors, laser Doppler flow sensors, infrared thermal imaging of the hands). We tested our device to ensure (1) safe operating conditions, (2) predictable, user-controlled irradiance output levels, (3) an ability for measuring physiological responses, and (4) features necessary to enable a double-blinded crossover study for a clinical trial. We also include in the Methods an approved research protocol utilizing our device that may serve as a starting point for clinical study. We introduced a reliable PTD for studying the effects of blue light therapy for patients suffering from Raynaud's phenomenon and showed that our device is safe and reliable and includes the required measurement vectors for tracking treatment effects throughout the duration of a clinical study.

The role of photobiomodulation in accelerating bone repair

Bone repair is faced with obstacles such as slow repair rates and limited bone regeneration capacity. Delayed healing even nonunion could occur in bone defects, influencing the life quality of patients severely. Photobiomodulation (PBM) utilizes different light sources to derive beneficial therapeutic effects with the advantage of being non-invasive and painless, providing a promising strategy for accelerating bone repair. In this review, we summarize the parameters, mechanisms, and effects of PBM regulating bone repair, and further conclude the current clinical application of PBM devices in bone repair. The wavelength of 635-980 nm, the output power of 40-100 mW, and the energy density of less than 100 J/cm2 are the most commonly used parameters. New technologies, including needle systems and biocompatible and implantable optical fibers, offer references to realize an efficient and safe strategy for bone repair. Further research is required to establish the reliability of outcomes from in vivo and in vitro studies and to standardize clinical trial protocols.

Implementation of neonatal phototherapy with the BiliCocoon Bag® device in the maternity ward and impact on mother-infant separation

BACKGROUND

Free bilirubin jaundice is a frequent pathology in the neonatal period. The major complication is neurological toxicity, the most severe form of which is kernicterus. Overall, 5%-10% of jaundiced neonates require treatment. The first-line treatment is phototherapy, with intensive phototherapy being the gold standard. Other equipment is also available, including the BiliCocoon Bag®. It is a safe and controlled therapy that can be performed in the mother's room in the maternity ward, thereby avoiding separation and allowing for breast- or bottle-feeding during treatment. It is easy to install and does not require protective glasses, thus no scope or hospitalization. In our maternity ward, all neonates requiring intensive phototherapy are hospitalized in the neonatology ward.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of our study was to evaluate the number of avoided hospitalizations in neonatology for free bilirubin jaundice since the introduction, according to a strict protocol, of the BiliCocoon Bag® device.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

This was a single-center retrospective cohort study using data of newborns usually collected as part of standard care. Children born in our maternity ward during an 18-month period (August 1, 2020 to January 31, 2022) were included. Causes of jaundice, age at the beginning and mode of treatment, number of sessions for each device, and length of stay were compared. Results are presented as number and percentage with median (25th-75th) or mean (extremes) values for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. A t-test was used to compare the means of the independent groups.

RESULTS

A total of 316 newborns were included. Physiological jaundice was the main cause of jaundice. The median age for the first phototherapy treatment was 54.5 h (30-68). The 316 neonates needed 438 phototherapy sessions: 235 (74%) neonates required only one phototherapy session, 85 (36%) of them were treated with the BiliCocoon Bag®. For the 81 children who needed two or more phototherapy sessions, 19 children (23.5%) were treated by tunnel phototherapy and then the BiliCocoon Bag®, and eight children (10%) by BiliCocoon Bag® alone. The BiliCocoon Bag® enabled a relative reduction in the hospitalization rate of 38% and avoided hospitalization for approximately one third of the newborns treated. The BiliCocoon Bag® failure rate was 3.6% and the average length of stay was comparable between the two types of treatment.

CONCLUSION

Following a strict protocol of use, the BiliCocoon Bag® is a reliable method and a good alternative to intensive phototherapy for newborns in the maternity ward, as it avoids hospitalization and mother-infant separation.

Study on the value of KMC combined with blue light irradiation in improving the therapeutic effect of neonatal jaundice

Neonatal jaundice is a common problem that affects newborns. We aim to investigate the effect of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) combined with blue-light irradiation on enhancing the therapeutic effect in the treatment of neonatal jaundice. From May 2020 to August 2022, 89 neonates with pathological jaundice and their mothers were selected as participants. All neonates received blue-light irradiation. The participants were divided into two groups: 46 neonates cared for by KMC as the research group (RG) and 43 neonates receiving routine nursing as the control group (CG). The first lactation time, first breastfeeding duration, and scores of Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) before and after nursing were recorded and compared between the groups. Pre- and post-interventional total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), and indirect bilirubin (IBIL) levels of both groups of newborns were measured, and the time of jaundice resolution, first defecation, and meconium yellowing were recorded. Neonatal adverse reactions (ARs) during treatment were counted, and a nursing satisfaction survey was conducted at discharge. KMC group mothers had earlier lactation and longer first breastfeeding durations (P < 0.05). Both groups' SAS and SDS scores decreased post-nursing, with greater improvement in the KMC group (P < 0.05). KMC group newborns had lower bilirubin levels and faster resolution of jaundice and meconium yellowing, with fewer adverse reactions and higher nursing satisfaction (P < 0.05). KMC can effectively improve the efficacy of blue light irradiation in the treatment of neonatal jaundice, and promote the healthy development of newborns and the efficiency of maternal breastfeeding.

Discharge of newborns with risk factors of severe hyperbilirubinemia: description of a hospital at home-based care monitoring and phototherapy

Neonatal jaundice is common and associated with delay in hospital discharge and risk of neurological sequelae if not treated. The objectives of the study were to report on our experience of the monitoring and treatment of neonatal jaundice in a home care setting and its feasibility and safety for neonates with high risk of severe hyperbilirubinemia. The 2-year study has been led in the greater Paris University Hospital At Home (Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris). The device of the intervention was the Bilicocoon® Bag, a light-emitting diode sleeping bag worn by the neonate when the total serum bilirubin value exceeds intensive phototherapy threshold, according to the guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. One hundred and thirty-nine neonates had participated in the intervention and 39 (28%) were treated by phototherapy at home, as continuation of inpatient phototherapy or started at home. Seventy-five percent of the sample had more than two risk factors for development of severe hyperbilirubinemia. Twenty five percent of the cohort who received phototherapy at home had lower gestational age (p < 0.014) and had younger age at discharge from maternity (p < 0.09). Median length of stay in hospital at home was 5 days. Two patients needed readmission in conventional hospital (1%) for less than 24 h. In multivariate model, the length of stay decreased with the higher gestational age (p < 0.001) and increased significantly with the older age at discharge, the birth weight < 10th percentile, and a treatment by phototherapy at home.    Conclusion: Hospital at home, which is a whole strategy using an effective and convenient phototherapy device combined with a specialized medical follow-up, could be an alternative to conventional hospitalization for neonates at high risk of severe jaundice. The maternity discharge is facilitated, the mother-infant bonding can be promoted, and the risk of conventional rehospitalization is minimal, while guaranteeing the safety of this specific care. What is Known: • Managing neonatal jaundice is provided in conventional hospital with phototherapy. • Neonatal jaundice increases the risk of prolonged hospitalization or readmission. What is New: • Phototherapy is feasible in hospital at home for neonates with high risk of severe hyperbilirubinemia. • The care pathway of neonates from conventional hospital to hospital at home is described.

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia: Background and recent literature updates on the diagnosis and treatment

Hyperbilirubinemia or jaundice has been studied by many researchers because of its diverse causes and potential for toxicity especially in the neonate but to a lesser extent beyond the neonate as well. Several studies have been performed on the normal metabolism and metabolic disorders of bilirubin in last decades of the 20th century. The recent advancement in research and technology facilitated for the researchers to investigate new horizons of the causes and treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. This review gives a brief introduction to hyperbilirubinemia and jaundice and the recent advancement in the treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. It reports modifications in the previously used methods and findings of some newly developed ones. At present, ample literature is available discussing the issues regarding hyperbilirubinemia and jaundice, but still more research needs to be done.