title: Respiratory water loss in fullterm infants on their first day after birth.
abstract: Measurements of water loss from the airways, oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production were made in 12 fullterm, newborn infants on their first day after birth, using an open flow-through system. The system includes a mass spectrometer, specially equipped with a water channel, for analysis of gas concentrations. To avoid condensation of water vapour, the tubing in the flow-through system is heated. Respiratory water loss was 4.9 +/- 1.2 (SD) mg/kg min, which meant an insensible water loss from the respiratory tract of 25.4 +/- 6.9 (SD) g per infant and 24 h at rest, at an ambient temperature of 32.2 degrees C and with an ambient humidity of 50%. Oxygen consumption was 6.0 +/- 0.8 (SD) ml/kg min. An inverse relationship was found between respiratory water loss and ambient humidity, with higher losses at a low than at a high humidity. Oxygen consumption did not change very much with ambient humidity.
mesh_terms: D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide