Danish researchers have found blue and turquoise LED phototherapy are equally effective in reducing hyperbilirubinemia in infants, according to a recent entry in scientific journal Nature.

The research team headed by Danish researcher Finn Ebbesen, Departments of Paediatrics, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark, tested the impact LED colors with a blue light peak emission of 459 nm and turquoise light with a peak emission range of 497 nm and equal irradiance on infants with hyperbilirubinemia.

Previous studies using fluorescent light tubes suggested turquoise colored lights with a peak emission of 490 nm would be more efficient.

The researchers found by testing the lights on infants older than 33 weeks with uncomplicated hyperbilirubinemia in randomized turquoise or blue light for 24 hours presented non-significant (p=0.53) differences in the total reduction of serum bilirubin.

Up to 46 infants were placed under turquoise and 45 blue light, resulting in a median (95% CI) decrease of total serum bilirubin was 35.3% (32.5, 37.3) and 33.1% (27.1, 36.8) for infants treated with turquoise and blue light respectively.

The researchers concluded both turquoise and blue lights were equally effective in reducing hyperbilirubinemia in infants.

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