Phototherapy may increase both the body and environmental
temperatures resulting in increased insensible fluid loss.
This effect is more common with halogen white lamps but
should also be considered for fluorescent tube devices. Recently,
high intensity gallium nitride light emitting diodes
(LEDs) which deliver high intensity light of narrow wavelength
spectrum have been developed. Current LED based
devices generate high irradiance while producing minimal
heat [6]. At similar irradiances, LED phototherapy units are
as efficacious as fluorescent tube devices in the management
of jaundice in term and preterm neonates [7]. Randomized
trials report low and equal incidence of hypothermia or hyperthermia
with both modalities [8, 9]. However, effect ofhigh irradiance LED phototherapy on body temperature (BT)
is not well known. After authors observed significant hyperthermia
in some of their patients receiving LED phototherapy,
they planned a study to investigate changes in body temperature
in term and late preterm infants under LED phototherapy
at different irradiances.