Pauline Décima

Variations in incubator temperature and humidity management: a survey of current practice

Aim:  To describe and assess routine procedures and practices for incubator temperature and humidity management in France in 2009.

The longitudinal effects of persistent periodic breathing on cerebral oxygenation in preterm infants

OBJECTIVES Periodic breathing is common in preterm infants, but is thought to be benign. The aim of our study was to assess the incidence and impact of periodic breathing on heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SpO2), and brain tissue oxygenation index (TOI) over the first six months after term-equivalent age. STUDY DESIGN Twenty-four preterm infants (27-36 weeks gestational age) were studied with daytime polysomnography in quiet sleep (QS) and active sleep (AS) and in both the prone and supine positions at 2-4 weeks, 2-3 months, and 5-6 months post-term corrected age. HR, SpO2, and TOI (NIRO-200 spectrophotometer) were recorded. Periodic breathing episodes were defined as greater than or equal to three sequential apneas each lasting ≥3 s. RESULTS A total 164 individual episodes of periodic breathing were recorded in 19 infants at 2-4 weeks, 62 in 12 infants at 2-3 months, and 35 in 10 infants at 5-6 months. There was no effect of gestational age on periodic breathing frequency or duration. Falls in HR (-21.9 ± 2.7%) and TOI (-13.1 ± 1.5%) were significantly greater at 2-3 months of age compared to 2-4 weeks of age. CONCLUSIONS The majority of preterm infants discharged home without clinical respiratory problems had persistent periodic breathing. Although in most infants periodic breathing was not associated with significant falls in SpO2 or TOI, several infants had significant desaturations and reduced cerebral oxygenation especially during AS. The clinical significance of this on neurodevelopmental outcome is unknown and warrants further investigations.

Assessment of radiant temperature in a closed incubator

In closed incubators, radiative heat loss (R) which is assessed from the mean radiant temperature

Distal skin vasodilation promotes rapid sleep onset in preterm neonates

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Additional double-wall roof in single-wall, closed, convective incubators: Impact on body heat loss from premature infants and optimal adjustment of the incubator air temperature

accounts for 40–60% of the neonate’s total heat loss. In the absence of a benchmark method to calculate

Conception d’un logiciel de calcul de la thermoneutralité dans les incubateurs fermés pour nouveau-nés prématurés (projet Pretherm®)

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