Effect of physiotherapy on the promotion of bone mineralization in preterm infants: a randomized controlled trial

Autor: Antonia Gómez-Conesa, Juan Jose Agüera-Arenas, Francisco Javier Fernández-Rego, Galaad Torró-Ferrero
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: Scientific reports. 12(1)
ISSN: 2045-2322
Popis: BackgroundPreterm infants have a low level of bone mineralization compared to those born at term, since 80% of calcium incorporation occurs at the end of pregnancy. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of reflex locomotion therapy on bone mineralization and growth in preterm infants and compare its effect against other physiotherapy procedures.MethodsA randomized controlled trial carried out over four years from February 2016 to July 2020 was conducted. 52 preterm infants born at 29-34 weeks with hemodynamical stability, full enteral nutrition, and without any metabolic, congenital, genetic, neurological or respiratory disorders, were evaluated for inclusion; 6 were discarded due to exclusion criteria; finally 46 were randomized to three groups but only 76.08% completed the study: One group received reflex locomotion therapy (EGrlt); other group received passive movements with gentle compression (EGpmc); and control group received massage (CG). All treatments were carried out at the neonatal unit lasting one month. The main outcome measure was the bone mineralization measured with Tibial Speed of Sound (Tibial-SOS). A repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the results of Tibial-SOS, and anthropometric measurements. All the personnel who carried out the measurement tests were blinded to which intervention group the patients belonged. Likewise, participants, family, and data analysts were also blinded. The physiotherapist who carried out the treatments was blinded against the objectives of the study.ResultsInfants were randomized into EGrlt (n=17), EGpmc (n=14), and CG (n=15). All groups were similar in terms of gestational age (31.8±1.18) and birth weight (1583.41±311.9), age (33.5±1.24) and Tibial Speed of Sound (1604.7±27.9), at the beginning of the intervention. At the end of the study, significant differences were found among groups in Tibial Speed of Sound [F(4,86)=2.77, P=0.049, ηp2=0.114] in benefit of EGrlt.ConclusionsThe reflex locomotion therapy has been effective in the improvement of Tibial Speed of Sound, and has been more effective than other physical therapy modalities; therefore it could be considered as one of the most effective physiotherapeutic modalities for the prevention and treatment of osteopenia of prematurity.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04356807. Registered 22/04/2020 – Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04356807?cond=Physical+Therapy+to+Prevent+Osteopenia+in+Preterm+Infants&draw=2&rank=1
Databáze: OpenAIRE