TITLE:
Does the incubator control mode influence outcomes of low-birth-weight neonates during the first days of life and at hospital discharge?
AUTHORS:
Pauline Décima, Erwan Stéphan-Blanchard, André Léké, Loic Dégrugilliers, Stéphane Delanaud, Jean-Pierre Libert, Pierre Tourneux
KEYWORDS:
Clinical Outcomes; Preterm Neonates; Closed Incubators; Incubator Control Mode
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.5 No.8D,
August
20,
2013
ABSTRACT: Background: The thermal environment surrounding neonates in closed incubators can be
regulated via two different modes: skin servocontrol mode (SSC) and air
temperature control mode (ATC). These produce different patterns of incubator
air and infant body temperatures. Objective: To assess the effects of
incubator control mode on clinical outcomes of low-birth-weight-infants during the first days of
life and at hospital discharge. Methods: 52 low-birth-weight neonates were
nursed over ten days in closed incubators
functioning either with SSC mode (n = 29), or with ATC mode (n = 23).
Results: The anthropomorphic characteristics of the two groups of neonates
were homogenous (gestational age = 29.4 ± 1.4 vs. 29.9 ± 1.2 weeks and birthweight = 1214 ± 347 vs. 1263 ±292 gin the SSC-group and the ATC-group,
respectively) and the caregiving (energy and fluid intakes, ventilator assistance
and drug administration) did not differ statistically. Daily means of incubator
air temperature were similar in the SSC and the ATC-group, however, the SSC
mode resulted in more variable incubator air temperature but more stable skin
abdominal temperature whereas the reverse was found when using the ATC mode.
Those differences had no impact on the body weight of the neonates or their
clinical outcomes at hospital discharge which were not statistically different.
Conclusion: The clinical outcomes do not differ depending on the incubator
control mode after the first ten days of life and
at hospital discharge.