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Clinical Trials/NCT00930917
NCT00930917CompletedPhase 3

Heat Loss Prevention in Delivery Room: a Prospective, Randomised, Controlled Trial of Polyethylene Caps in Very Preterm Infants

University of Padova0 sites96 target enrollmentStarted: December 1, 2007Last updated:
Conditions

Trial Snapshot

Phase
Phase 3
Status
Completed
Sponsor
Enrollment
96
Primary Endpoint
Axillary temperature taken on admission to the NICU (immediately after cap and wrap removal) and again 1 hour later.

Study Overview

Brief Summary

It is apparent that the head of a preterm infant should not be left uncovered, however it remains unclear whether covering the head of a preterm baby with plastic wrapping is effective in preventing heat loss.

We conducted a prospective, randomised, controlled trial in very preterm infants to evaluate if a polyethylene cap prevents heat loss after delivery better than polyethylene occlusive wrapping and conventional drying. Furthermore, we assessed body temperature 1 hour after admission to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to evaluate whether the polyethylene cap prevents postnatal heat loss.

Detailed Description

The primary outcome measure was axillary temperature taken on admission to the NICU (immediately after cap and wrap removal) and again 1 hour later. Axillary temperature was measured using a digital thermometer (Terumo Digital Clinical Thermometer C202, Terumo Corporation, Tokio, Japan). The occurrence of hypothermia, defined as axillary temperature less then 36.4°C, on NICU admission was also evaluated.

Secondary outcomes included mortality prior to hospital discharge, presence of major brain injury (sonographic evidence of intraventricular hemorrhage with ventricular dilatation, parenchymal hemorrhagic infarction, or periventricular leukomalacia), tracheal intubation at birth, Apgar scores, delivery to admission time, blood gas analysis and serum glucose concentration on NICU admission.

Study Design

Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Factorial
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
None

Eligibility Criteria

Ages
1 Minute to 3 Minutes (Child)
Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • infants <29 weeks' gestation born in the study center.

Exclusion Criteria

  • congenital anomalies with open lesions (e.g. gastroschisis, meningomyelocele) and babies whose delivery was not attended by the neonatal team.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Axillary temperature taken on admission to the NICU (immediately after cap and wrap removal) and again 1 hour later.

Time Frame: Admission to the NICU

Secondary Outcomes

  • Mortality prior to hospital discharge, presence of major brain injury, tracheal intubation at birth, Apgar scores, delivery to admission time, blood gas analysis and serum glucose concentration on NICU admission.(NICU discharge)

Investigators

Sponsor
University of Padova
Sponsor Class
Other

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