Determination of effect of low dose vs moderate dose clofibrate on decreasing serum bilirubin in healthy term neonates

Objective: this study was performed to determine the effect of low doses (25 mg/kg) vs.moderate doses (50 mg/kg) of clofibrate in treatment of non-hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia inhealthy term neonates.material & methods: a clinical randomized controlled trial was performed in three groups ofhealthy term neonates. one group was treated with a single low dose of clofibrate (25 mg/kg)while another group received a single moderate dose (50mg/kg) both orally plus phototherapy;the results were compared with those of a control group that received only phototherapy.findings: the mean total serum bilirubin (tsb) levels of 12th and 24th hours were significantlylower in the two clofibrate-treated groups as compared with the control group (p=0.002 andp=0.003, respectively). there was no statistically significant difference between the mean oftsb levels in the two clofibrate-treated groups. treatment with clofibrate also resulted in ashorter duration of jaundice and a decreased use of phototherapy (p=0.01). no side effects wereobserved.conclusion: the present study demonstrated that there was no significant difference between alow (25mg/kg) and moderate (50mg/kg) doses of clofibrate in reducing tsb levels and alsodecreased need of phototherapy in healthy breastfed term newborns with marked hyperbilirubinemia(tsb>16 mg/dl).