title: Weight at weaning of preterm infants from incubator to bassinet: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate thermal responses, weight gain, and resting energy expenditure (REE) in preterm infants weaned from an infant incubator to a warming bassinet after reaching a body weight of either 1,500 or 1,600 g, respectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preterm infants weighing ≤ 1,500 g were randomly allocated for weaning from a convective incubator after reaching 1,500 g body weight (study group) or 1,600 g (controls). Postweaning body temperature was recorded at short intervals. REE was measured before and after weaning, while the weight gain was calculated daily.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 21 enrolled infants were weaned successfully to a bassinet (room temperature). REE inside the incubator and in the warming bassinette was similar between infants weaned at 1,500 g and at 1,600 g (2.9 ± 6.8 vs. 1.1 ± 4.8 kcal/kg/d, respectively (p = 0.7). REE increased slightly after weaning in both groups. Weight gain and days from randomization to discharge did not differ between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weaning very low birth weight infants from an incubator to a warming bassinet at a body weight of 1,500 g is feasible and has no significant deleterious effects on weight gain and REE. The many benefits provided by such greater accessibility to premature infants are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Irit
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Ronella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marom
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mimouni
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Rosalia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kopelovich
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Shaul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dollberg
mesh_terms: D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007186:Incubators, Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D015430:Weight Gain