title: Influence of sunflower seed oil on the skin barrier function of preterm infants: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inadequate skin care may increase morbidity in preterm infants. Skin care practices that support skin maturation have barely been investigated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of sunflower seed oil (SSO) on skin barrier development in low-birth-weight premature infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  22 preterm infants (<48 h after birth, 1,500-2,500 g) were randomized into group C (control) and group SSO, receiving daily SSO application during the first 10 postnatal days, followed by no intervention. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum hydration (SCH), skin pH and sebum were measured <48 h after birth and on postnatal days 5, 11 and 21 on the forehead, abdomen, thigh and buttock.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Skin pH decreased, while sebum remained stable in both groups. In group C, TEWL remained stable; in group SSO, TEWL increased significantly on the abdomen, leg and buttock until day 11, followed by a decrease after SSO application had been stopped. Abdomen SCH remained stable in group C, but continuously decreased in group SSO until day 21.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SSO application may retard postnatal skin barrier maturation in preterm infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Clinical Research Center for Hair and Skin Science, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Varvara
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kanti
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grande
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stroux
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bührer
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Blume-Peytavi
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garcia Bartels
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D005865:Gestational Age; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012869:Skin Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D017592:Skin Care / Q000379:methods*; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D000074242:Sunflower Oil; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D010938:Plant Oils; D000074242:Sunflower Oil