All issues > Volume 22(9); 1979

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1979;22(9):765-772. Published online September 15, 1979.

Comparative Evaluation Between 4 Methods for Determination of Bilirubin Concentration in the Jaundiced Newborn Infants.

Ki Hong Suh, Chang II Ahn

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Korea.

Abstract

A study was made on 177 jaundiced newborn infants who were admitted to the Pediatric ward and nursery of Kyung Hee Medical Center from Oct. 1977 to Sept. 1978. This investigation was (I) to assess the value of Dermal icterus and Perspex Icterometer as a screening device to estimate the bilirubin concentration and (ii) to evaluate the accuracy of bilirubin spectrophotometry with the AO bilirubinometer as compared to Malloy Evelyn diazo method. The results were obtained as follows: 1. The Dermal icterus and Icterometer were valuable as a screening device to assess the depth of jaundice. If the Dermal icterus readings revealed Zone III (11~18mg%) or higher and Icterometer readings revealed Grade 3 1/2(14-19mg%) or higher, bilirubin concentrations should be determined by laboratory method, because above readings were near to critical levels. 2. The AO bilirubinometer was a simple accurate method suitable for monitoring total bilirubin concentration in the jaundiced neonate, expecially, when repeated determination was indicated. The AO bilirubinometer could supersede a M-E diazo method below 20mg% with not significant result of T-test (t(54)=0.578, n.s.) and high degree correlation (r=0.92, P<0.001).

Keywords :