Jaundiced Neonates Receiving Phototherapy and Risk of Atopic Dermatitis in the First 2 Years of Life: A Case-Control Study

Only alimited number of studies have evaluated the association between phototherapy-treated neonatal jaundice and the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) in the early childhood. In this context, the present study is aimed to assess the relationship between the AD development in the childhood and the history of phototherapy in the case of neonatal jaundice.

92 children younger than two years of age who were admitted in Besat hospital and Imam Khomeini clinic (Hamadan, Iran) were enrolled in this case-control study. The subjects were classified into the case (children with AD, n=43), and control (children without AD, n=49) groups. AD was diagnosed by an allergist according to the AD diagnostic criteria. The history of neonatal jaundice treatment with phototherapy as well as the medical records of all the recruited subjects was investigated. The data were collected by physician according to clinical manifestations and medical records. The association between phototherapy-treated jaundiced neonates and developing AD was examined.

92 children were recruited.The mean age of the participants in the case and control groups was 10.56 and 9.89 months, respectively. About 74% (n=14) of the phototherapy-treated neonatal jaundice patients developed AD in their early childhood. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of jaundice treatment with phototherapy on the AD development in the early childhood. The prevalence of AD was higher in the patients with positive history of jaundice treatment with phototherapy (p < 0.05, OR=4.24, 95% CI: 1.38-13.06).

Based on the results, atopic dermatitis in early childhood was significantly associated with neonatal jaundice treatment by phototherapy.