Efficiency of phototherapy in the treatment of neonatal jaundice

Introduction: Phototherapy, the standard treatment for neonatal jaundice, can be administered continuously or intermittently, offering benefits such as improved feeding and maternal bonding. Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of phototherapy in reducing serum bilirubin, minimizing severe complications like the need for transfusions. To measure the response to phototherapy and analyze the behavior of different variables, thereby evaluating its effectiveness. This is a retrospective descriptive study conducted with 89 consecutive neonates with jaundice who were admitted to the Ana Goitia Maternal and Child Specialized Hospital for phototherapy treatment in 2023 and 2024. A p-value of 0.000 indicates that the difference in bilirubin levels at 48 hours between the groups is statistically significant. The group over 22 shows a lower mean bilirubin level at 48 hours compared to the group under 22, suggesting a faster improvement in bilirubin levels for the group over 22. Therefore, the effectiveness of phototherapy in the group evaluated at the Ana Goitia Maternity was a mean decrease of 22% in 48 hours. The results indicate that the factors showing statistically significant differences are BILI ADMISSION, BILI 48 HRS, APOS (A+) and BPOS (B+).