Evidence · Research paper
Target Body Temperature in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: Clinical Consensus in Place of Scientific Evidence.
- Delivery room and stabilisation
- Medical
- Nursing
- Preterm stabilisation
- Thermoregulation
This paper is from 2019, more than five years ago. Newer evidence may have been published since.
Summary
Online survey of 149 high-level NICUs in Germany, Switzerland and Austria examining thermal care standards for very low birth weight infants across three gestational/birth weight categories. Incubator air temperature and humidity settings increased with decreasing gestational age and birth weight, but units chose a uniform target body temperature of around 37.0°C for all categories, with similar definitions of hypo- and hyperthermia. The authors note this tacit consensus lacks scientific evidence and is below fetal intrauterine temperature, calling for further research.
Summary written for NICUlearn. Always read the original.
- Licence:
- Open (Creative Commons)
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