Skin as the site of photoconversion of bilirubin in hyperbilirubinaemia of the new born
Bajpai, P.C.; Agarwal, S.S.; Kapoor, C.L.; Krishna Murti, C.R.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 64(8): 1214-1219
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 992852 Document Number: 107094
Relationship of response to phototherapy with the severity of dermal icterus was studied in 3 groups of neonates. In babies without visible dermal icterus, the mean plasma bilirubin levels fell by 0.72 .+-. 0.38 mg percent while in hyperbilirubinemic newborns with moderately severe and severe dermal icterus the corresponding values were 7.23 .+-. 0.30 mg percent and 11.84 .+-. 0.69 mg percent, respectively, after 48 h of phototherapy. The response to phototherapy was more marked in the 1st 24 h than in the next 24 h and was related to the amount of bilirubin available in the skin. These observations, which are in conformity with earlier in vitro studies, support the view that the site of photodegradation of bilirubin is the skin itself.