Splanchnic and cerebral oxygenation during cyclic phototherapy in preterm infants with hyperbilirubinemia

Cyclic phototherapy (cPT) can achieve a reduction in total serum bilirubin comparable to that achieved with standard continuous PT in preterm infants. Our aim was to assess the effect of cPT on splanchnic (rSO₂S) and cerebral (rSO₂C) oxygenation measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). We prospectively studied 16 infants with a gestational age of 25–34 weeks with hyperbilirubinemia requiring PT. Splanchnic regional oxygenation (rSO₂S), oxygen extraction fraction (FOES), and cerebro-splanchnic oxygenation ratio (CSOR) were recorded before, during, and after cPT discontinuation. We found that rSO₂S, FOES, and CSOR did not change during the study period. The overall duration of single or multiple courses of PT was 6.5 (6.0–13.5) h, but by cycling PT, the actual exposure was 3.0 (1.5–4.9) h. Twelve patients (75%) required 15 min/h cPT, and four (25%) required prolonging cPT to 30 min/h. None of the patients developed enteral feeding intolerance.

Conclusions: cPT treatment of hyperbilirubinemia in preterm infants does not affect splanchnic oxygenation or intestinal oxygen blood extraction, likely due to the short exposure to PT light, and it could contribute to decreasing the risk of feeding intolerance.