A light/dark cycle in the NICU accelerates body weight gain and shortens time to discharge in preterm infants
| Autor: | Samuel Vásquez-Ruiz, Adelina Rojas-Granados, Carolina Escobar, Manuel Angeles-Castellanos, Benito Rubén Vega-Martínez, José Alfonso Maya-Barrios, Patricia Torres-Narváez |
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| Rok vydání: | 2014 |
| Předmět: |
Pediatrics
medicine.medical_specialty Light Weight Gain Body weight Heart Rate Intensive Care Units Neonatal Humans Medicine Oximetry Neonatology Circadian rhythm Saliva Mexico Early discharge Melatonin Oxygen saturation (medicine) Milk Human business.industry Dark cycle Infant Newborn Obstetrics and Gynecology Gestational age Darkness Length of Stay Patient Discharge Oxygen Pediatrics Perinatology and Child Health medicine.symptom business Weight gain |
| Zdroj: | Early Human Development. 90:535-540 |
| ISSN: | 0378-3782 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2014.04.015 |
| Popis: | Background Bright constant light levels in the NICU may have negative effects on the growth and development of preterm infants Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate the benefits of an alternating light/dark cycle in the NICU on weight gain and early discharge from the therapy in premature infants. Patients and methods A randomized interventional study was designed comparing infants in the NICU of Hospital Juarez de Mexico, exposed from birth either to an LD environment (LD, n =19) or to the traditional continuous light (LL, n =19). The LD condition was achieved by placing individual removable helmets over the infant's heads. Body weight gain was analyzed, as the main indicator of stability and the main criteria for discharge in preterm infants born at 31.73±0.31week gestational age. Results Infants maintained in an LD cycle gained weight faster than infants in LL and therefore attained a shorter hospital stay, (34.37±3.12 vs 51.11±5.29days; P >0.01). Also, LD infants exhibited improved oxygen saturation and developed a daily melatonin rhythm. Conclusions These findings provide a convenient alternative for establishing an LD environment for preterm healthy newborns in the NICU and confirm the beneficial effects of an alternating LD cycle for growth and weight gain and for earlier discharge time. Here we provide an easy and practical alternative to implement light/dark conditions in the NICU. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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