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Neonatal blue light phototherapy increases café-au-lait macules in preschool children

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Abstract

Neonatal blue light phototherapy (NBLP) is an effective treatment for hyperbilirubinaemia. Concerning the influence on melanocytic nevi, conflicting studies have been published. To assess the role of NBLP according to the incidence of melanocytic nevi in preschool children, a cohort of 104 5- to 6-year-old children were included. The case group consisted of 52 NBLP-exposed children, while the control group (n = 52) never had NBLP and was matched regarding age, gender, gestational age and skin phototype. Six dizygotic twins were included with one twin having received NBLP, respectively. The following parameters were recorded: nevi count, presence of freckles, café-au-lait macules, skin phototype and previous history of sun exposure. There was no significant association between nevi count and exposure to NBLP (median nevi count 17.0 compared to 18.5 in controls). No significant difference was also found in the dizygotic twin pairs with a median nevi count of 10.0 (with NBLP) compared to 14.5 (without NBLP). However, a significantly higher prevalence of café-au-lait macules was found in children with NBLP (mean count 0.5) than in children without NBLP (mean count 0.2; p = 0.001). Significant predictors for the number of melanocytic nevi included skin phototype, sun exposure and vacations in the South. Conclusion: In this study, NBLP had no significant influence on the development of melanocytic nevi, but on café-au-lait macules which was a new finding. Differences with comparable studies regarding age, differentiation between nevi and other pigmented lesions as well as dose and type of NBLP need to be taken into account for further investigations.

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Abbreviations

CAMN:

Clinically atypical melanocytic nevi

CMN:

Common melanocytic nevi

LMU:

Ludwig-Maximilian University

MN:

Melanocytic nevi

NBLP:

Neonatal blue light phototherapy

No.:

Number

p :

p value

χ 2 :

Chi-square test

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Acknowledgments

We especially thank all infants and their parents for participating in this study at the Department of Dermatology at the Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Frauenlobstr. 9-11, 80337, Munich, Germany

    Kathrin Wintermeier, Sandra Vogel, Carola Berking & Kathrin A. Giehl

  2. Department of Neonatology, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany

    Martina von Poblotzki & Orsolya Genzel-Boroviczény

  3. Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany

    Klaus Schotten

Authors
  1. Kathrin Wintermeier
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  2. Martina von Poblotzki
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  3. Orsolya Genzel-Boroviczény
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  4. Sandra Vogel
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  5. Klaus Schotten
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  6. Carola Berking
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  7. Kathrin A. Giehl
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kathrin A. Giehl.

Additional information

Communicated by Patrick Van Reempts

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Wintermeier, K., von Poblotzki, M., Genzel-Boroviczény, O. et al. Neonatal blue light phototherapy increases café-au-lait macules in preschool children. Eur J Pediatr 173, 1519–1525 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2349-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2349-8

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