Introduction: Jaundice is amongst the most frequently encountered medical problems in newborns during the first week of life. A lesser known side effect, but a potential complication of phototherapy is hypocalcemia.
Aims and Objectives: To study the effect of phototherapy on serum total calcium levels in term and preterm newborns having pathological unconjugated hyperbilirubenemia at the end of 48 hours and to compare the effect of phototherapy on serum total calcium levels in these newborns with their respective controls.
Materials and Method: 100 term and 100 preterm newborns were selected including 50 controls in each group. Controls were the newborns having physiological jaundice and not underwent phototherapy. Blood sample for serum calcium level was sent at the time of starting phototherapy and at the end of 48 hours of phototherapy in cases and at the start of study and at the end of 48 hours in controls.
Results: Out of total term (50) and preterm newborn cases (50) exposed to phototherapy, 26% and 60% developed hypocalcemia respectively. Only 16% of newborns in preterm control group developed hypocalcemia. Mean total serum calcium levels (mg/dl) before starting phototherapy and after 48 hours of continuation of phototherapy were 8.712 ± 0.471 and 7.672 ± 0.622 respectively for term newborns and 8.118 ± 0.169 and 6.59 ± 0.83 respectively for preterm newborns. P value was found significant (<0.05) in both cases.
Conclusion: Serum calcium level falls to a significant level in both phototherapy treated term and preterm newborns, more so in preterm newborns.
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2022: 6.012
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