New research could provide a safe, low-tech method for treating newborn jaundice. The project offers an effective and inexpensive solution for developing countries, where more than 150,000 babies each year suffer brain damage or death due to this serious health condition.
Filtered light canopies treat newborns with jaundice at Island Maternity Hospital, Massey Street Children’s Hospital and Hearing International Nigeria in Lagos.
The study, published in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, was led by Tina Slusher, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. Two other UMN researchers, Ann Brearley, Ph.D., and Troy Lund, M.D., Ph.D., helped with the study. In addition, researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine, University of California-San Diego, and Island Maternity Hospital, Massey Street Children’s Hospital and Hearing International Nigeria in Lagos all contributed to the project.
“There are so many areas in the world where jaundice is a big concern, but access to consistent electricity or advanced medical treatments aren’t always possible,” said Slusher. “The method we’ve outlined harnesses a natural resource in sunlight, but safely, giving parents and care providers an incredibly accessible, useful tool to treat this dangerous and common illness.”
Jaundice is a common illness for newborns and can be easily treated in developed countries, using phototherapy. Babies experiencing jaundice are unable to excrete enough bilirubin, a compound released during the normal breakdown of blood cells. Symptoms include the tell-tale yellow tinge in skin or eyes. Left untreated, jaundice can cause brain damage or even death.
How it worked
Working closely with care providers and researchers in Lagos, Nigeria, Slusher and her team devised a canopy system to filter sunlight. The canopies, developed and tested by Vreman and colleagues at Stanford, allowed blue wavelengths through, similar to the blue lights often administered in hospitals to treat newborn jaundice. Mothers and their babies were encouraged to sit outside under the filter, which blocked the harmful rays of the sunshine while offering the positive benefits. Using two sets of canopies, patients were able to be treated even on cloudy days.
A baby being treated using filtered sunlight, at Island Maternity Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria
Researchers looked at nearly 450 infants diagnosed with jaundice. About half were treated with the canopies, the other half with traditional phototherapy. Both groups were treated the same amount of time, and monitored for similar side effects, such as hypothermia, sunburn or overheating. Babies treated outdoors were held by their mothers and able to breastfeed during treatment.
What they found
Newborn treated for jaundice with conventional phototherapy.
“Filtered sunlight was similarly efficacious, and not inferior to traditional phototherapy for the treatment of mild-moderate neonatal jaundice,” said Slusher. “Both methods were pretty equal in safety, as well with no infants in either group requiring withdrawal for safety concerns. This showed our filtered light method was a viable option for treating babies with jaundice in developing nations.”
What it means
The findings provide an exceptional new option for treatments in areas with limited resources or access to reliable electrical supply.
Next up: an effort to use the same filtering technology in greenhouse-like tents, for areas with windy, cold or rainy conditions to treat moderate to severe neonatal jaundice.
“What’s been really phenomenal about this project is the partnership with the care/research teams in Lagos, headed by Dr. Bolajoko Olusanya,” said Slusher. “Our project wouldn’t have been possible without their extensive work, and their dedication to the patients. This technology will benefit their patients, as well as patients across the developing world, and the role they played in this process has been instrumental.”
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