Routine transcutaneous bilirubin measurements combined with clinical risk factors improve the prediction of subsequent hyperbilirubinemia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate predischarge transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) measurements combined with risk factors as predictors of the risk of a subsequent total serum bilirubin (TSB) >or=17 mg per 100 ml (291 micromol l(-1)). STUDY DESIGN: Routine TcB measurements are obtained daily for all infants in our well baby nursery. We performed a nested case-control study comparing all 75 infants who had been readmitted with TSB >or=17 mg per 100 ml (291 micromol l(-1)) between 1 February 2005 and 28 February 2007 with randomly selected controls that had not been readmitted. RESULT: Between 1 February 2005 and 28 February 2007, 11 456 infants were discharged from the well baby nursery. Seventy-five infants (0.65%) were readmitted at a mean age of 110+/-29.9 h with a TSB>or=17 mg per 100 ml (291 micromol l(-1)). All received phototherapy. Using logistic regression analysis, three variables were statistically significant for predicting cases: the maximum predischarge TcB percentile group (P<0.0001, adjusted odds ratio (AOR), >95th percentile 148; 95% confidence interval (CI) 21 to >999, AOR 76 to 95th percentile 15; 95% CI 3.1 to 70, AOR 50 to 75th percentile 6.1; 95% CI 1.3 to 28 compared with <50th percentile), exclusive breastfeeding (P<0.0001, AOR 11; 95% CI 3.7 to 34) and gestational age (P=0.0057, AOR 35 to 36 6/7 week 21; 95% CI 2.3 to 185, AOR 37 to 37 6/7 week 15; 95% CI 1.9 to 115, AOR 38 to 38 6/7 week 1.8; 95% CI 0.3 to 11, AOR 39 to 39 6/7 week 1.1; 95% CI 0.2 to 7 AOR >or=41 week 0.88; 95% CI 0.1 to 10 compared with 40 to 40 6/7 week infants). These three variables provided the best prediction of a case (c=0.885, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) and this prediction was significantly better than the use of the clinical risk factors, gestation and exclusive breastfeeding, alone (c=0.770, P<0.001) or the TcB percentile grouping alone (c=0.766, P<0.001). Substituting the TcB rate of rise (c=0.903, P=0.316) or the last measured TcB (c=0.873, P=0.292) for the maximum TcB measurement did not significantly improve the predictors of a case. CONCLUSION: Combining predischarge TcB levels with two clinical risk factors-gestational age and exclusive breastfeeding-significantly improves the prediction of subsequent hyperbilirubinemia.

Randomized controlled trial of light-emitting diode phototherapy.

OBJECTIVE: We wished to compare the efficacy of light-emitting diode (LED) phototherapy with special blue fluorescent (BB) tube phototherapy in the treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. STUDY DESIGN: We randomly assigned 66 infants >or=35 weeks of gestation to receive phototherapy using an LED device or BB. In addition to phototherapy from above, all infants also received phototherapy from below using four BB tubes or a fiberoptic pad. RESULT: After 15+/-5 h of phototherapy, the rate of decline in the total serum bilirubin (TSB) was 0.35+/-0.25 mg/dl/h in the LED group vs 0.27+/-0.25 mg/dl/h in the BB group (P=0.20). CONCLUSION: LED phototherapy is as effective as BB phototherapy in lowering serum bilirubin levels in term and near-term newborns.

[Acceptability of vaccination against influenza]. / Acceptibilité de la vaccination contre l'influenza.

From 1984 to 1986 the general practitioners of Braine-le-Château (Belgium) have studied the frequency of influenza vaccination in people aged more than 65 years and its results. Without any particular promotion, 17% of patients were vaccinated in 1984. Following an information campaign conducted by general practitioners, the figure was 39% in 1985. The next year the information was completed by posters, editorials in newspapers and lectures organized for groups of retreated people. The number of vaccinated patients reached 41%. This study demonstrates that it is possible in a short time to improve the vaccination protection of elderly people through the action of practitioners convinced of efficacity of the influenza vaccine.

EEG, blood level, and behavioral effects of the antidepressant mianserin (ORG GB-94).

A pharmacokinetic analysis of a new antidepressant drug, mianserin (ORG GB-94), was undertaken in 4 male volunteers, each of whom received 15 mg mianserin on two occasions. Plasma levels peak at 2 h with a median level of 11.0 ng/ml, a median beta-phase half-life of 10.0 h, and a median apparent volume of distribution of 3.3 X 10(3) 1. EEG profile analysis shows mianserin to increase frequencies below 6 Hz, decrease those from 7.5 to 15 Hz, and increase frequencies above 18 Hz, a pattern similar to amitriptyline. Peak EEG effects range from 2 to 5 h with a pattern of measured changes that parallels plasma levels with varying latency. Decreases in vigilance measures and in critical flicker-fusion frequency show a similar time course. Mianserin is a putative thymoleptic on EEG profile analysis with high cerebral penetrance.