Irradiance levels of phototherapy devices: a national study in Dutch neonatal intensive care units

• Published in: Journal of perinatology 2017-07, Vol.37 (7), p.839-842
• Main Authors: Hulzebos, C V, van't Klooster, S J, Lorenz, K, Vreman, H J, Dijk, P H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 692/700/1720; 692/700/565; Devices; Hospitals; Humans; Incubators; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Intensive care; Intensive care units; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal - standards; Irradiance; Jaundice, Neonatal - therapy; LEDs; Light emitting diodes; Light therapy; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neonatal intensive care; Neonates; Neonatology; Netherlands; Newborn babies; Newborn infants; original-article; Pediatric Surgery; Pediatrics; Phototherapy; Phototherapy - instrumentation; Physical therapy; Physical therapy equipment; Quality Improvement; Radiation Dosage; Radiometry
• ISSN: 0743-8346; 1476-5543
• DOI: 10.1038/jp.2017.13

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine whether irradiance levels of phototherapy (PT) devices in Dutch neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) increased between 2008 and 2013. Study Design: Irradiance of all types of PT devices, used in combination with incubators, was measured with a Dale 40 Radiometer (Fluke Biomedical, Everett, WA, USA) in all 10 Dutch NICUs. Results: Irradiance increased in seven NICUs. Median (range) irradiance increased from 9.7 (4.3–32.6) to 16.4 (6.8–41) μW cm −2  nm −1 for 24 overhead devices ( P =0.004) and from 6.8 (0.8–15.6) to 22.3 (1.1–36.3) μW cm −2  nm −1 for 12 underneath devices ( P =0.014). Five light-emitting diode (LED)-based devices were used in 2013 and one in 2008. The mean distance between overhead PT device and infant decreased by ~9 cm ( P