Effect of sling application on efficacy of phototherapy in healthy term neonates with nonhemolytic jaundice: a randomized conrolled trial.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of white reflecting material (slings) hung from the sides of compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) phototherapy equipment in reducing the duration of phototherapy in healthy term neonates with non-hemolytic jaundice. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. SETTING Postnatal ward of a tertiary level neonatal unit. PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTION Healthy term neonates with non-hemolytic jaundice between 24 hours and 10 days of age were randomly assigned to receive single surface phototherapy with (n=42) or without slings (n=42). OUTCOME MEASURE Duration of phototherapy in hours (h) and the requirement of exchange transfusion. RESULTS Birthweight (2790+/-352 vs. 2923+/-330 g), gestation (38+/-1.3 vs. 37+/-1.0 wk) and initial serum total bilirubin (STB) (16.6+/-2.4 vs. 16.1+/-2.2 mg/dL) were comparable between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the duration of phototherapy (mean+/-SD) between the Sling (23.3+/-12.9 h) and No sling (24.9+/-15.4 h) groups (P=0.6). The irradiance of photo-therapy equipment (microwatt/cm2, mean+/-SD) was higher in Sling group compared to No sling group (195.8+/-24.2 versus 179.7+/-27.7, P=0.01). There was a trend towards a higher rate of fall of serum total bilirubin (mg/dL, mean +/-SD) in the Sling group (0.23+/-0.49) compared to No sling group (0.03+/-0.47) (P=0.06). CONCLUSION Though hanging of white reflective sling on sides of CFL phototherapy equipment resulted in marginal increase in irradiance, it did not decrease the duration of phototherapy.