Effects of the Little Wrapping Cloth and Disposable Diapers on Reduction of Bilirubin Level in Preterm Infant with Phototherapy : ผลของการใช้ผ้าห่อนิดๆพิชิตตัวเหลืองและการใช้ผ้าอ้อมสำเร็จรูป ต่อระดับบิลลิรูบินในทารกคลอดก่อนกำหนดที่ได้รับการรักษาโดยการส่องไฟ

Abstract

          Hyperbilirubinemia in infant usually comes from the accumulation of bilirubin which should be treated immediately to prevent the disability from brain damage. Phototherapy is common method dues to safety and effective bilirubin reduction with the principal that body surface area is exposed to light as much as possible. This research aimed to study the effects of the little wrapping cloth and disposable diapers on the duration of phototherapy in reduction of the bilirubin to the discontinued level in preterm infant with hyperbilirubinemia. The twenty-four preterm infants with hyperbilirubinemia in Nakhon Phanom hospital were selected by purposive sampling and divided into 2 groups; 12 preterm infants using the little wrapping cloth and 12 preterm infants using disposable diapers. Data were analyzed by the frequency, mean and percentage.

          The results showed that when treated with phototherapy after 24, 48 and 72 hours, the average decreased levels of bilirubin in the disposable diapers group were 1.06, 1.72 and 2.84 mg/dl, respectively and in the little wrapping cloth group were 1.26, 2.47 and 3.26 mg/dl, respectively. Within 48 hours of phototherapy, 10 infants (83.33%) in the little wrapping cloth group and 6 infants (50.0%) in the disposable diapers group were able to stop phototherapy. These results imply that the application of the little wrapping cloth has a tendency to rapidly reduce the bilirubin level.

          Keywords : Preterm, Hyperbilirubinemia, Phototherapy, little wrapping cloth