A randomized trial of exothermic mattresses for preterm newborns in polyethylene bags

Hypothermia on admission to the NICU is associated with increased mortality in preterm infants. Many newborns are hypothermic on admission despite using polyethylene bags (PBs). Using exothermic mattresses (EMs) in addition to PBs may reduce hypothermia but increase hyperthermia. We wished to determ...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatrics (Evanston) 2013-07, Vol.132 (1), p.e135-e141
Main Authors: McCarthy, Lisa K, Molloy, Eleanor J, Twomey, Anne R, Murphy, John F A, O'Donnell, Colm P F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Babies
Beds
Body Temperature Regulation - physiology
Care and treatment
Clinical trials
Demographic aspects
Female
Food Packaging
Gestational Age
Heating - methods
Hospitals, Maternity
Humans
Hypothermia
Hypothermia - physiopathology
Hypothermia - prevention & control
Infant care
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature, Diseases - physiopathology
Infant, Premature, Diseases - prevention & control
Infants
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
Ireland
Male
Mattresses
Methods
Pediatrics
Perinatal Care - methods
Plastic bags
Polyethylene
Polyethylene fabrics
Premature birth
Prevention
Temperature
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Hypothermia on admission to the NICU is associated with increased mortality in preterm infants. Many newborns are hypothermic on admission despite using polyethylene bags (PBs). Using exothermic mattresses (EMs) in addition to PBs may reduce hypothermia but increase hyperthermia. We wished to determine whether placing preterm newborns in PBs on EMs in the DR results in more infants with rectal temperature outside the range 36.5 to 37.5°C on NICU admission. Infants 37.5°C (17/37 [46%] vs 6/35 [17%], P = .009). In very preterm newborns, using EMs in addition to PBs in the DR resulted in more infants with temperatures outside the normal range and more hyperthermia on NICU admission.
ISSN:0031-4005
1098-4275
DOI:10.1542/peds.2013-0279