A mean body temperature of 37°C for incubated preterm infants is associated with lower energy costs in the first 11 days of life

Abstract

In incubators using ATC, a body temperature of 37°C was associated with lower energy costs and greater weight gain at 11 days of life for preterm infants. Future studies should test SSC shielded abdominal skin temperature set to 37°C.

Failing to meet relative humidity targets for incubated neonates causes higher heat loss and metabolic costs in the first week of life

“…Indeed, the hygrometric stress ranged from 150.7 ± 54.1 to 275.7 ± 74.0 minutes per day. As previously described for thermal stress , the hygrometric stress was closely related to the frequency of the incubator opening, which was high for the first few days after birth . Likewise, the mean duration of RH overshoot ranged from 142.1 ± 38.6 to 332.3 ± 73.4 minute/day.…”

“…*p < 0.05. Evaporative heat loss was related to several factors: the air velocity inside the incubator and primarily the water partial pressure difference between the preterm infant, in relation to transepidermal water loss (16), and the incubator, related to the air temperature and the RH inside the incubator (4,9). Thus, the prolonged hygrometric stress that we observed in the incubator was probably associated with high transepidermal water loss from the preterm infant over the first few days after birth and high evaporative heat losses (4,15,16,25).…”

“…During the first week of postnatal life, frequent nursing procedures modify the infant's thermal environment . The air temperature and RH inside the incubator fall quickly when the incubator is opened, and this results in an increase in convective, skin and respiratory evaporative heat losses .…”

Dynamics and complexity of body temperature in preterm infants nursed in incubators

“…It is widely accepted that a stable thermal environment is crucial for preterm infants as lowest mortality and morbidity in infants born before 33 weeks gestational age (GA) have been shown for an admission temperature ranging from 36.5 to 37.2°C [3]. Thermal stability in newborn infants, defined by the World Health Organization as a state where the core temperature lies between 36.8 and 37.3°C [7], has beneficial effects on other autonomic processes such as control of breathing and heart rate, and supports growth and sleep regulation [8, 9]. Control of body temperature is particularly important during the physiologically challenging post partum transition and the first few days of life, as environmental conditions and temperatures may change rapidly in this period of time.…”

O estresse térmico visto como um risco ocupacional

“…Conforme Lamberts (2016), a neutralidade térmica é uma condição necessária, mas não suficiente, para que uma pessoa esteja em conforto térmico. Como o corpo humano é um sistema homeotérmico -que produz calor e interage continuamente com o ambiente para alcançar o balanço térmico (GUYTON; HALL, 2006) -, existe uma constante troca de calor entre o corpo e o meio que é regida pelas leis da física e influenciada pelos mecanismos de adaptação fisiológica, condições ambientais e fatores individuais (DEGORRE et al, 2015). Esta troca é denominada de termorregulação, que ocorre em grande parte devido à evaporação do suor (FOHR, 2015;HAILES et al, 2016).…”