title: [Application of non-nutritive sucking in preterm infants requiring mechanical ventilation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the role of non-nutritive sucking in preterm infants requiring mechanical ventilation therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a study of 68 preterm infants requiring mechanical ventilation, a randomly selected observation group of 35 infants was provided with non-nutritive sucking and a control group of 33 infants was not. The time to reach full enteral feeding, birth weight recovery time, body weight growth rate, hospitalization time, feeding tolerance and mechanical ventilation-related complications were compared between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The time to reach full enteral feeding and hospitalization time were shorter (P<0.01), the incidence of feeding intolerance was lower (P<0.05), and the body weight growth rate was higher (P<0.05) in the observation group than in the control group. There were no significant differences in the birth weight recovery time and the incidence of mechanical ventilation-related complications between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of non-nutritive sucking can increase growth rate, shorten hospitalization time and improve feeding tolerance in preterm infants requiring mechanical ventilation therapy. Moreover, it does not result in an increase in mechanical ventilation-related complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Zhangzhou Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, Fujian 363000, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Chou
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Rui-Ling
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shu-Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hui-Qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D013391:Sucking Behavior; D015430:Weight Gain