PEDIATRICS Vol. 79 No. 1 January 1987, pp. 47-54
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Malin, S. W.
Right arrow Articles by Baumgart, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Malin, S. W.
Right arrow Articles by Baumgart, S.

Optimal Thermal Management for Low Birth Weight Infants Nursed Under High-Powered Radiant Warmers

Seth W. Malin MD1 and Stephen Baumgart MD1

1 From the Division of Neonatology of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia

Servocontrol of skin temperature for the critically ill premature neonate nursed on a radiant warmer bed has been assumed to be analogous to skin temperature control for infants nursed in convection-warmed incubators. There are significant differences between these two warming techniques, and no definitive data exist to aid the clinical specialist in governing radiant warmer control. Eighteen low birth weight premature infants less than 2 weeks of age were studied under powerful overhead radiant warmers to determine the optimal skin temperature for servocontrol of radiant heater output. Anterior abdominal wall temperature was servocontrolled at 35.5°, 36.5° and 37.5°C in a randomized fashion for three periods of 90 minutes each after thermal equilibrium was established. Oxygen consumption was measured during the entire 90-mm sample period at each temperature by a computerized metabolic apparatus to determine the optimal thermal neutral control temperature defined as minimal oxygen consumption with normal body temperature. Skin, deep rectal, and environmental temperature measurements, as well as behavior assessments, were made concurrently. Oxygen consumption was significantly elevated at 35.5°C (8.62± 0.73 mL/kg/min, mean±SEM) compared with 36.5°C (7.30±0.55 mL/kg/min). Changing servocontrol temperature to 37.5°C produced no further significant decrease in oxygen consumption (7.41±0.70 mL/kg/min), and nine infants manifested supranormal deep rectal temperatures (>37.5°C). Optimal abdominal skin temperature control at 36.5°C (slightly warmer than previously reported but less than 37.5°C) is recommended for premature neonates nursed on radiant warmer beds. Frequent monitoring of core temperature for these infants is strongly recommended to avoid central hyperthermia.

Key Words: low birth weight infant • thermoregulation • oxygen consumption • thermal neutral environment

Submitted on October 21, 1985
Accepted on February 28, 1986




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 PediatricsHome page
M. P. Meyer, M. J. Payton, A. Salmon, C. Hutchinson, and A. de Klerk
A Clinical Comparison of Radiant Warmer and Incubator Care for Preterm Infants From Birth to 1800 Grams
Pediatrics, August 1, 2001; 108(2): 395 - 401.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]