title: Sensorimotor therapy and time to full oral feeding in <33weeks infants.
abstract: Previous research has shown that oral stimulation improves feeding skills in preterm infants. However, it remains unclear whether other sensorimotor therapies have similar effect.
  
  
  
  To investigate the effect of sensorimotor therapy on the time to reach full oral feeding (FOF) in infants <33weeks.
  
  
  
  Retrospective review compared two time periods between 2009 and 2014, before (PRE TX) and after (POST TX) initiation of sensorimotor therapy to infants <33weeks. Type and number of sensorimotor therapy, time to FOF and length of stay (LOS) were collected. Statistical analysis used SPSS 22 for descriptive, non-parametric testing, chi-square and multivariate linear regression computation.
  
  
  
  Of 245 records, 137 were excluded due to death, record unavailability/incompleteness or transfer. The remaining 55 in PRE TX and 53 in POST TX infants differed by small for gestational age (SGA) (36.4% vs. 28.3%, p=0.02); sepsis (81.8% vs. 54.7%, p=0.002); patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) (5.5% vs. 22.6%, p=0.01) and bradycardia (47.3% vs. 83%, p<0.0001). Infants in (POST TX) achieved FOF in 6.3±4.3days vs. 8.8±6.6days in (PRE TX) (p=0.02); their LOS was 56.8±26.4 vs. 52.2±25.1 (p=0.36). Predictors of days to FOF were any number of therapy sessions (β=-4.31; 95% CI: -6.47:-2.15), LOS (β=0.05; 95% CI: 0.004:0.09), PDA (β=3.23; 95% CI: 0.27:6.19) and bradycardia (β=2.94; 95% CI: 0.62:5.26).
  
  
  
  Providing any type of sensorimotor therapy decreased time to reach FOF in infants <33weeks. Structured guidelines may help optimize this effect.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Louma Basma
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Rustam
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Saadieh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masri
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Atallah
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Institute, Biostatistics Unit, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Hani
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tamim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. Electronic address: lc12@aub.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Lama
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Charafeddine
mesh_terms: D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male
keywords: Oral feeding; Preterm infants; Sensorimotor therapy