A newborn infant had an unusual reversible complication caused by light therapy for hyperbilirubinemia. A dark grey-brown color of the skin, urine, and serum developed on the fifth day, after 24 hours of light therapy. Serum bilirubin (direct and total), SGOT, and LDH were elevated. The infant recovered, and bilirubin and enzymes returned to normal after a period of three weeks. A possible pathologic mechanism for this complication is suggested.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
CremerR. J., PerrymanP. W. and RichardsD. H.: Influence of light on hyperbilirubinemia of infants. Lancet1: 1094, 1958.
2.
LuceyJ. F., FerreiroM. and HewittJ.: Prevention of hyperbilirubinemia of prematurity by phototherapy. Pediatrics41: 1047, 1968.
3.
EnteG. and PochedlyC.: Phototherapy for hyper-bilirubinemia; current status and prospects. Meadowbrook Staff J.1: 99, 1968.
4.
OstrowJ. D., HammakerL. and SchmidR.: The preparation of crystaline bilirubin 14C. J. Clin. Invest. 40: 1442, 1961.
5.
BlondheimS. H. and KaufmanN. A.: The effect of light on direct diazo reaction of unconjugated bilirubin. J. Lab. Clin. Med.65: 659, 1965.
6.
OstrowJ. D.: Mechanism of phototherapy of jaundice (abst.). Pediatr. Res.3: 352, 1969.
7.
DiamondI. and SchmidR.: Neonatal hyper-bilirubinemia and kernicterus. Experimental support for treatment by exposure to visible light. Arch. Neurol.18: 699, 1968.
8.
HodgmanJ. E., and TebergA.: Effect of photo-therapy on subsequent growth and development of the premature infant. In Symposium on Neonatal Bilirubin Metabolism (original article series Vol. 6, No. 2), New York, National Foundation, 1970.
9.
WurtmanR. J.: In Symposium of Neonatal Bilirubin Metabolism (original article series, Vol. 6, No. 2), New York, National Foundation, 1970.
10.
OdellG., BrownR. and HoltzmanN.: Dye sensitized photooxidation of albumin associated with a decreased capacity for protein binding of bilirubin. In Symposium on Neonatal Bilirubin Metabolism (original article series, Vol. 6, No. 2) New York, National Foundation, 1970.
11.
EnteG. and PochedlyC.: Light on light. Clin. Pediatr.8: 499, 1969.
12.
KopelmanA. E., BrownR. S. and OdellG. B.: The “Bronze Baby,” a complication of phototherapy (abst.). American Pediatric Society, 1971, p. 3.
