Improving quality of transcutaneous bilirubin measurements: Value of in-house developed quality control

Demystifying non-invasive approaches for screening jaundice in low resource settings: a review

All national and international pediatric guidelines universally prescribe meticulous bilirubin screening for neonates as a critical measure to mitigate the incidence of acute bilirubin encephalopathy (ABE) and Kernicterus. The prevailing gold standard for jaundice detection in neonates necessitates invasive blood collection, followed by subsequent biochemical testing. While the invasive procedure provides dependable bilirubin measurements and continues to be the sole gold standard diagnostic method for assessing bilirubin concentration. There exists a pressing need to innovate non-invasive screening tools that alleviate the sampling stress endured by newborns, mitigate iatrogenic anemia, and expedite the turnaround time for obtaining results. The exploration of non-invasive modalities for bilirubin measurements is gaining momentum, driven by the overarching goal of minimizing the number of pricks inflicted upon neonates, thereby rendering screening a swift, efficient, comfortable, and dependable process. This comprehensive review article delves extensively into the array of non-invasive approaches and digital solutions that have been proposed, implemented, and utilized for neonatal bilirubin screening, with a particular emphasis on their application in low-resource settings. Within this context, the review sheds light on the existing methodologies and their practical applications, with a specific focus on transcutaneous bilirubin meters. Moreover, it underscores the prevailing open challenges in this domain and outlines potential directions for future research endeavors. Notably, the review underscores the imperative need for robust educational programs targeted at both families and healthcare personnel to expedite the process of seeking timely care for neonatal jaundice. Additionally, it underscores the necessity for the development of enhanced screening and diagnostic tools that can offer greater accuracy in clinical practice.

Feasibility analysis of TCB, hs-CRP, and UCB/ALB as outcome measures for dynamic assessment during phototherapy of neonates with Hyperbilirubinemia

Hyperbilirubinemia (HY) is a common condition in neonates that requires phototherapy treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of transcutaneous bilirubin measurements (TCB), hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and unconjugated bilirubin (UCB)/albumin (ALB) as indicators of HY during neonatal phototherapy. A research group of 67 neonates with pathological HY and a control group of 55 healthy neonates were selected from a hospital between June 2020 and May 2021. TCB, hs-CRP, and UCB/ALB tests were performed before, during (at 3 days of treatment), and after (at 6 days of treatment) phototherapy in the research group and at admission in the control group. The study also included a 1-year prognostic follow-up on the research group. The study observed the difference in TCB, hs-CRP, and UCB/ALB test results between both groups and their assessment effect on adverse reactions, treatment effects, and poor prognosis in phototherapy. TCB, hs-CRP, and UCB/ALB levels were higher in the research group than in the control group and gradually decreased during phototherapy (P < 0.05). The combined TCB, hs-CRP, and UCB/ALB assay had 100.0% sensitivity and 64.58% specificity (P < 0.001) for predicting adverse reactions, 88.24% sensitivity and 80.00% specificity (P < 0.001) for predicting the effect of phototherapy, and 90.91% sensitivity and 88.89% specificity (P < 0.001) for predicting poor prognosis. The combined TCB, hs-CRP, and UCB/ALB assay showed superior assessment of adverse effects, clinical outcomes, and poor prognosis in HY neonates treated with phototherapy. TCB, hs-CRP, and UCB/ALB could be used as dynamic disease assessment indicators for HY to better prevent and treat the occurrence of HY.