Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, ISSN 1918-3003 print, 1918-3011 online, Open Access
Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Med Res and Elmer Press Inc
Journal website http://www.jocmr.org

Original Article

Volume 3, Number 1, February 2011, pages 36-46

Effect of Skin-To-Skin Contact on Preterm Infant Skin Barrier Function and Hospital-Acquired Infection

Figures

Figure 1..
Figure 1.. SCH on Day 1 across study periods.
Figure 2..
Figure 2.. SCH on Day 5 across all study periods.
Figure 3..
Figure 3.. TEWL on Day 1 across all periods.
Figure 4..
Figure 4.. TEWL on Day 5 across all periods.

Tables

Table 1. Mothers and Infants Demographic Characteristics (N = 10)
 
CharacteristicsMean ± SDN
Mothers Age24.6 ± 4.03
Infants GA28.6 ± 1.26
Infants Age at Entry15.2 ± 7.19
Minutes of KC/day (Day 2 - 4)77.5 ± 12.5
Infants Birth Weight1228.4 ± 167.6
Infants Weight at day one1183.7 ± 331.8
Infants Weight at day five1348 ± 173.9
Male/Female8/2
AA/Caucasian9/1
Vaginal/Cesarean Delivery4/6
Breastfeeding/No Breastfeeding3/7

 

Table 2. Means ± SDs for Ambient Humidity and Temperature and Infant Skin Temperature During Study Periods on Days 1 and 5
 
Day 1Day 5
Pre-SSCSSCPost-SSCPre-SSCSSCPost-SSC
* p < 0.001 across all periods during both days
Ambient Humidity44.9 ± 12.227.3 ± 7.138.6 ± 12.739.1 ± 11.728.8 ± 7.336.1 ± 9.0
Ambient Temperature30.7 ± 0.727.2 ± 0.730.3 ± 0.930.2 ± 1.927.1 ± 1.329.9 ± 2.1
Infant Skin Temperature36.7 ± 0.336.8 ± 0.236.7 ± 0.336.7 ± 0.437.0 ± 0.236.6 ± 0.2

 

Table 3. SCH Means and SD Across Periods for Day 1 and Day 5 of the Study
 
Pre-SSCSSCPost-SSC
Mean ± SDMean ± SDMean ± SD
Day one35.53 ± 14.6953.06 ± 15.1046.85 ± 12.67
Day five37.02 ± 7.5656.24 ± 17.8451.22 ± 13.86

 

Table 4. Least Squares Means of SCH - Pair Wise Comparisons of PreSSC Period by SSC Period and PostSSC Period (Based on the Interaction Between Assessments and Periods)
 
Pre-SSC Assessment 1Pre-SSC Assessment 2Pre-SSC Assessment 3
LS Mean = 38.42LS Mean = 36.55LS Mean = 37.26
SSC Assessment 1LS Mean = 49.56NsNsNs
SSC Assessment 2LS Mean = 54.75P < 0.05P < 0.01P < 0.01
SSC Assessment 3LS Mean = 57.30P < 0.01P < 0.001P < 0.001
Post-SSC Assessment 1LS Mean = 53.82P < 0.05P < 0.01P < 0.01
Post-SSC Assessment 2LS Mean = 49.52NsNsNs
Post-SSC Assessment 3LS Mean = 42.72NsNsNs

 

Table 5. TEWL Means and SDs Across Periods for Day 1 and Day 5 of the Study
 
Pre-SSC
Mean ± SD		SSC
Mean ± SD		Post-SSC
Mean ± SD
Day one23.07 ± 6.529.04 ± 10.228.64 ± 10.3
Day five22.00 ± 4.7328.92 ± 8.2326.46 ± 6.51