Ö. Turan, E. Ergenekon, E. Koç, Y. Atalay, S. Ünal, K. Gücüyener, D. Erbas, M. ?ene?
Impact of phototherapy on vasoactive mediators: NO and VEGF in the newborn
Aim: The objective of this study was to evaluate the
effects of close and remote phototherapy on serum nitric
oxide (NO) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
levels as well as on body temperature heart rate and
blood pressure in neonates of different gestational ages.
Patients and method: Term (gestational age
?37 weeks) and preterm neonates (GA <37 weeks) with
hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy were included
in the study. All patients except for the ones in incubators
were randomized to receive either close phototherapy
(15 cm above the patient) or remote phototherapy
(30–45 cm above patient). Body temperature, heart rate
and blood pressure were measured before treatment, six
hours into treatment and one hour after cessation of
treatment. Blood samples for NO and VEGF measurements
were also taken at the same times.
Results: Sixty-one term newborns and 37 preterm newborns
were included in the study. Patients were distributed
into four groups according to the dose of treatment
together with gestational age, i.e. term close and remote
photoherapy groups (n=29, n=32, respectively), preterm
close and remote photoherapy groups (n=10, n=27,
respectively). Body temperature increased significantly
with phototherapy in all groups but was not at hyperthermia
level. Heart rate increased in all groups except
for term newborns in the remote phototherapy group and
blood pressure decreased in term infants but was
unchanged in preterms. None of these changes were at
the level of tachycardia or hypotension for a newborn.
Phototherapy did not result in elevation of NO or VEGF
levels.
Conclusion: This study showed that in our group of
patients close or remote phototherapy caused some
body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure changes
that were not clinically significant and did not result in
increased levels of NO or VEGF, which are well known
vasodilator mediators.
Journal of Perinatal Medicine, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 1619-3997
Volume: 32, 07/2004
Pages: 359 - 364
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