Effect of illuminance inside incubators on the clinical parameters of preterm newborns in intensive care
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36517/2175-6783.20262796505Keywords:
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Light; Incubators; Infant, Premature; Stress, Physiological.Abstract
Objective: to verify the effect of illuminance levels inside incubators on the clinical parameters of preterm newborns in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Methods: a longitudinal and prospective post hoc study conducted with 14 preterm newborns placed in incubators in three Intensive Care Units. Illuminance levels and clinical parameters were measured at 6:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 12:00 a.m. Data were analyzed using descriptive measures and linear regression. Results: median illuminance levels were high at 12:00 p.m. (662.5 lux), 6:00 p.m. (115.5 lux), and 6:00 a.m. (114.0 lux). Median heart and respiratory rates were higher at the 6:00 a.m. assessment, whereas systolic and diastolic blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and temperature were higher at 12:00 p.m. No statistically significant differences were found between illuminance levels across the four recording periods and the clinical parameters. Conclusion: the high illuminance levels throughout the day did not statistically affect the vital parameters of preterm newborns. Contributions to practice: the high illuminance values inside incubators require the implementation of interventions aimed at reducing them in order to mitigate other potential clinical effects in preterm newborns. (RBR-6xww44w).
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Copyright (c) 2026 Max Douglas de Jesus Carmo, Luciano Marques dos Santos, Bianka Sousa Martins Silva, Juliana de Oliveira Marcatto, Luana Trindade dos Santos Mascarenhas, Jadiel dos Santos Pereira, Maria Cristina de Camargo
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