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A SIMPLE DEVICE FOR REDUCING INSENSIBLE WATER LOSS (IWL) IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS

IWL was measured in 5 non-distressed premature infants, 1-4 days old, by a multiple weighing technique using an electronic balance inside an incubator. The babies were studied naked before and after being covered with a transparent “thermal blanket” made from plastic packing material. Operative incubator temperature was within the thermoneutral zone and relative humidity between 25 and 40%. Consecutive three hour Δ weight measurements were made 30-60 minutes after gavage milk feeds. IWL was determined as Δ weight. Pulmonary water loss, assumed to be constant, was excluded from the calculation. Consecutive paired iWL studies:Use of the thermal blanket produced a 70% mean reduction in IWL and a net caloric saving of 27 kcal/kg/day (t=3.4; p<.01). There was minimal interference with nursing care. The results indicate that (1) the simple insulating blanket used is a highly effective means of reducing IWL, (2) the caloric saving achieved by reducing IWL and evaporative heat loss may be an important determinant of intact survival in the high-risk infant.