[Effect of different relative humidity in the incubator on skin temperature of newborn infants with low birth weight].
BACKGROUND
In a group of 8 LWB infants we tried to investigate the influence of different levels of rel. humidity inside the incubator on rectal and skin temperature and on the pattern of temperature distribution over the body surface.


METHODS
In low (45 rel.%) and high (83 rel.%) incubator humidity we measured rectal temperature and, using infrared telethermography, skin temperatures at 12 different sites of the body.


RESULTS
After increasing ambient humidity mean skin temperature rose significantly (p < 0.01) from 35.87 to 36.10 degrees C. The pattern of temperature distribution also changed with increasing humidity, showing pronounced warming of the periphery. Rectal temperature did not change significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
With rising ambient humidity skin temperature increase in LBW infants, and the distribution of surface temperature becomes more even.
Hanssler
L
L
Zentrum für Kinderheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum, Gesamthochschule Essen.
Breukmann
H
H
D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D007186:Incubators, Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D013817:Thermography
Einfluss unterschiedlicher relativer Luftfeuchtigkeit im Inkubator auf die Hauttemperatur Neugeborener mit niedrigem Geburtsgewicht.