Body temperatures of very low birth weight infants on admission to a neonatal intensive care unit

Emily A. O'Brien; Tarah T. Colaizy; Jane E. Brumbaugh; Gretchen A. Cress; Karen J. Johnson; Jonathan M. Klein; Edward F. Bell

doi:10.1080/14767058.2018.1446076

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Body temperatures of very low birth weight infants on admission to a neonatal intensive care unit

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Body temperatures of very low birth weight infants on admission to a neonatal intensive care unit

Emily A. O'Brien, Tarah T. Colaizy, Jane E. Brumbaugh, Gretchen A. Cress, Karen J. Johnson, Jonathan M. Klein and Edward F. Bell

The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine, Vol.32(16), pp.2763-2766

08/18/2019

DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2018.1446076

PMCID: PMC6128769

PMID: 29478358

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/6128769View

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Abstract

Objective: Hypothermia occurs frequently in the first minutes after birth in preterm infants. Hyperthermia also occurs, often as a consequence of efforts to provide thermal support. Both hypothermia and hyperthermia are potentially harmful. Our objective was to examine the distribution of admission temperatures of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, the effect of gestational age on admission temperatures, and the time required for correction of low temperatures. Methods: Admission axillary temperatures were retrieved from the medical records for all VLBW infants born in our hospital during a 5-year period. The temperatures were classified as severe (<35.0 °C), moderate (35.0-35.9 °C), or mild (36.0-36.4 °C) hypothermia, normothermia (36.5-37.4 °C), or hyperthermia (≥37.5 °C). The relationship between gestational age and admission temperature was examined. In addition, we analyzed the time required for normalization of low temperatures. Results: Overall, 12% of infants were severely hypothermic, 40% moderately hypothermic, 27% mildly hypothermic, 19% normothermic, and 2% hyperthermic. Gestational age was inversely related to hypothermia risk and to the time required for recovery to normothermia. Conclusion: Admission hypothermia is common among VLBW infants and is affected by gestational age.

Body temperature

hyperthermia

hypothermia

preterm infants

very low birth weight infants

Details

Title: Subtitle: Body temperatures of very low birth weight infants on admission to a neonatal intensive care unit
Creators: Emily A. O'Brien - Midwestern University
Tarah T. Colaizy - University of Iowa
Jane E. Brumbaugh - Mayo Clinic in Florida
Gretchen A. Cress - University of Iowa
Karen J. Johnson - University of Iowa
Jonathan M. Klein - University of Iowa
Edward F. Bell - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine, Vol.32(16), pp.2763-2766
DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2018.1446076
PMID: 29478358
PMCID: PMC6128769
NLM abbreviation: J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med
ISSN: 1476-7058
eISSN: 1476-4954
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Grant note: NIH
Language: English
Date published: 08/18/2019
Academic Unit: Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Pancreatology, and Nutrition; Neonatology
Record Identifier: 9984353926902771

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