Practical Significance and Economic Efficiency of Transcutaneous Bilirubinometry

Recently, a number of research papers have been published in the medical literature, demonstrating the effectiveness of the transcutaneous bilirubinometry method in both full - term and premature infants. This technique is widely implemented in most hospitals around the world and is a screening for pathological hyperbilirubinemia. The use of the device for transcutaneous bilirubinometry can significantly reduce the frequency of invasive studies of the level of bilirubinemia. The purpose of this analysis was to compare transcutaneous and invasive methods for determining bilirubin in the group of full-term and premature infants, as well as to determine the cost-effectiveness of this technique on the example of the JM-105. The device Jaundice Meter Model JM-105 (Draeger Medical Systems, Germany) uses two wavelengths and a double optical path system. The result of each definition is calculated as the average of the three dimensions. Resource charged battery 250 measurements. Lamp life 150000 measurements. No consumables. The following results were obtained in full-term children: in the range of bilirubin concentrations from 100 to 255 μmol/l between the results of serum bilirubin and transcutaneous measurement device JM-105" found a very close correlation - r=0.97, p<0.05. As a result of examination of premature newborns: at the level of bilirubinemia from 50 to 270 μmol / l, the correlation between the invasive method of determining serum bilirubin and transcutaneous bilirubinometry JM-105 (r=0.95). With an average cost of the device for transcutaneous bilirubinometry JM-105 about 8000 USD, which is the equivalent of about 8000 blood tests for bilirubin, taking into account the fact that this technique does not require additional consumables and significant investments for the entire period of the device, the use of this technique is economically feasible.