Reductive effect of ursodeoxycholic acid on bilirubin levels in neonates on phototherapy

Abstract

Background

Phototherapy is paramount in the management of high total serum bilirubin (TSB). Whether its effectiveness can be improved with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has not been evaluated among newborns of African descent.

Methods

A double-blind-controlled study was used to evaluate the effect of UDCA on the management of high TSB in neonates. Recruited neonates were categorized into the experimental group (given UDCA plus phototherapy) and the control group (phototherapy and plain syrup), and their TSB and conjugated bilirubin levels were measured. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Statistical significance was set at a p-value of <0.05.

Results

The mean (SD) percentage reductions in TSB after 24 hrs were 40.73% (18.1) and 10.21% (7.1) in the experimental and control groups, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). The mean (SD) durations on therapy were 3.0 days (0.58) in the experimental group and 5.5 days (1.35) in the control group (p=0.001).

Conclusions

Phototherapy is still effective in the management of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, but inclusion of UDCA accentuates the reductive effect of phototherapy on the TSB in neonates, reducing the duration of treatment and in-patient care.

Keywords:

• neonatal hyperbilirubinemia
• phototherapy
• ursodeoxycholic acid

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the parents who gave their consent for their babies to be part of this study. We are also thankful to pharmacists Ijeoma Akwukwaegwu and Iheoma Ejiofor, of the Pharmacy Department, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abia State, for their assistance during the study.

Authors contributions

All authors contributed towards data analysis, drafting and critically revising the paper, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this work.