RESUMEN
This study was performed to determine the effect of low doses [25 mg/Kg] vs. moderate doses [50 mg/Kg] of clofibrate in treatment of non-hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia in healthy term neonates. A clinical randomized controlled trial was performed in three groups of healthy term neonates. One group was treated with a single low dose of clofibrate [25 mg/Kg] while another group received a single moderate dose [50mg/kg] both orally plus phototherapy; the results were compared with those of a control group that received only phototherapy. The mean total serum bilirubin [TSB] levels of 12th and 24th hours were significantly lower in the two clofibrate-treated groups as compared with the control group [P=0.002 and P=0.003, respectively]. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean of TSB levels in the two clofibrate-treated groups. Treatment with clofibrate also resulted in a shorter duration of jaundice and a decreased use of phototherapy [P=0.01]. No side effects were observed. The present study demonstrated that there was no significant difference between a low [25mg/Kg] and moderate [50mg/Kg] doses of clofibrate in reducing TSB levels and also decreased need of phototherapy in healthy breastfed term newborns with marked hyperbilirubinemia [TSB>16 mg/dL]