The Effects of Phototherapy in Preterm Infants Pda

Chest Shielding for Prevention of a Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Preterm Infants Receiving Phototherapy Effect of Phototherapy

The study was designed to assess whether chest shielding during phototherapy reduces the incidence of PDA, as assessed by serial echocardiographic examinations, in a population of extremely preterm infants born at lower 30 week gestation.

Phototherapy is a therapeutic intervention frequently used for management of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in extremely premature infants, especially in the first week when patency of the ductus is a clinical problem. Phototherapy has also been implicated in increased ductal patency. One randomized, controlled trial showed that chest shielding during phototherapy reduced the incidence and severity of PDA by 50% in preterm infants. These findings were mainly based on clinical evaluation of the ductus with echocardiographic studies performed only on a subgroup of infants noted to have a murmur on clinical examination.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Gestational week ≤ 30 weeks receiving phototherapy due to jaundice and infants who can perform echocardiography before and after treatment will be included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Babies with congenital heart disease.
• Infants with major structural anomalies and infants who can not undergo echocardiography before or after treatment.