on Serum Bilirubin in Healthy Term Neonates with Indirect Hyperbilirubinemia Letter to the Editor

Clofibrate is an activator of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors (PPARS). This agent has been used for decreasing lipid levels in adults for years.1,2 It is also a glucuronyl transferase inducer which may increase bilirubin conjunction and excretion and not only has a therapeutic effect on hyperbilirubinemia in term neonates but also prevents hyperbilirubinemia in preterm neonates.3 Other studies have demonstrated that a high dose of Clofibrate may lead to a reduction in both indirect bilirubin level and duration of hos-pitalization without known complications and side effects.2-5 Similar studies have evaluated the effect of a high dose of Clofibrate on neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of a low dose (25 mg/kg) versus a moderate dose (50 mg/kg) of oral Clofibrate on the treatment of non-hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia in healthy term neonates. This single-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial was approved by the Human Subject Review Board of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. All the parents of the neonates recruited in this study signed informed written consent. The study population was comprised of 132 neonates with non-hemolytic indirect hyperbilirubinemia (total serum bilirubin [TSB]>16 mg/dl) admitted to the Neonatal Ward of Besat Hospital in the western Iranian city of Hamedan between November 2008 and June 2009. The sample size was calculated according to previous studies.7 The inclu-sion criteria consisted of age of 2 to 29 days; full-term birth (gestational age of between 38 to 40 weeks)