Neonatal Phototherapy Adverse Effects in Infants: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objective: To determine what adverse effects of neonatal phototherapy have been identified and the general breadth of the research. Data Sources: A search for relevant sources was conducted using PubMed, The Cochrane Database, Ovid, and Clinical Key via EBSCO Discovery Search from January 2013-January 2023. Study Selection: Sources were included if participants had undergone phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia during their first weeks of life, including term and preterm infants. Twenty-three sources met the inclusion criteria. Data Extraction: Extraction included citation, design, context, aim, participants, outcomes, and main results. Data Synthesis: General concepts leading the synthesis included adverse effects of neonatal phototherapy. In addition, specific subgroups of adverse effects explored included childhood allergies, childhood cancers, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), migraine headaches, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, eye disorders and acoustic disorders. Conclusion: While the quality of studies varies, more rigorous research on adverse effects of neonatal phototherapy would benefit from careful selection of methods and reference standards, direct measures of each adverse outcome identified in adults and children, and prospective cohort studies linking early neonatal exposure with each adverse outcome outcomes throughout childhood and adolescence. Elucidating the effects of hyperbilirubinemia versus neonatal phototherapy on each potential adverse outcome will help to determine if new treatment methods for infants with hyperbilirubinemia need to be developed.