Preterm Infants Physiological Parameters and Sleep-Wakefulness Status

The Effects of Three-Stair Positioning Pillows Used for Preterm Infants on Physiological Parameters and Sleep-Wakefulness Status

This research was carried out between December 2021 and May 2022 as a randomized controlled experimental design. In the study, between 28-35 weeks of gestation preterm infants were divided into two groups as the experimental group (n=30) and the control group (n=30). The block randomization method was used to ensure that the infants were similar in terms of both weeks and weight due to the large interval between the weeks and to ensure the balance between the groups. Infants in the control group were followed in the routine prone position of the neonatal intensive care unit, while infants in the experimental group were followed in the prone position with three-stair positioning pillows.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sleep
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Three-stair positioning pillows group

Detailed Description

This research was carried a randomized controlled experimental design. The sample size in the study was 1.08, type 1 error was 5%, and statistical power was 95%, according to the power analysis performed by taking into account the Breathing frequency values of the groups in the study called "Effectiveness of Hammock Positioning in Reducing Pain and Improving Sleep-Wakefulness State in Preterm Infants". It was calculated as a total of 48 participants, 24 in each group (Ribas et al., 2019). Considering the possibility of losses, 30 preterm infants with TSPP (experimental) and 30 preterm infants who were not used (control) were included and the infants were randomly assigned to the groups. The block randomization method was used to ensure that the infants were similar in terms of both weeks and weight due to the large interval between the weeks and to ensure the balance between the groups. Infants were divided into 2 groups as 28-31 week gestation and 32-35 week gestation. 30 infants were randomly distributed to each gestational week group as experimental and control groups through a program available at http://www.randomizer.org. Families were informed by the researcher about the method of the study through face-to-face interviews, written and verbal consents were obtained, and the information about preterm infants and their families was recorded in the "Information Form". The actigraphy measuring device was connected to the computer and the device was installed by entering the parameters such as the name and surname of the infant to be treated and the time interval in which the recordings would be made. Data were collected from a single hall in the NICU. The noise level of the intensive care unit (NICU) was measured with the Uni-T UT353 Mini Decibelmeter Device and the average noise level of the hall where the data were collected was between 50-55 dB. The infant was cared for, fed and treated by the primary nurse responsible for the infant between 08:30 and 08:55. No intervention was made to the preterm infant between 09:00-12:00 and the infant was allowed to rest. Between these hours, the oxygen saturation and heart rate of the preterm infants in both groups were counted by the researcher with a pulse oximeter device and recorded 18 times in 10 minutes. Sleep-wakefulness status was recorded by taking 15-second recordings with the Actigraphy measuring device. Preterm infants in the experimental group were followed in the prone position with three-stair positioning pillows and the infants in the control group were followed in the routine 15º head raised prone position between the hours of the research follow-up. The study followed the CONSORT guideline for reporting randomized controlled trials.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Şanliurfa, Turkey
    • Harran University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 6 months to 8 months (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Only being diagnosed as preterm as a result of the examination performed by the physician,
• Parent's willingness to participate in the research,
• The infant is between 28-35 weeks of gestation,
• Being in appropriate weight according to the week of gestation,
• Having a history of intubation and being extubated.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Surgical procedure has been applied,
• Diagnosed with sepsis,
• Congenital anomaly,
• Taking analgesics 4 hours before, which may affect sleep,
• Having hyperbilirubinemia,
• Having hypoglycemia,
• Presence of intracranial bleeding,
• Receiving any oxygen support (nasal O2, incubator O2, etc.),
• Intubated infants were not included in the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Routine 15º head raised prone position (control group); The infant was cared for, fed and treated by the primary nurse responsible for the infant between 08:30 and 08:55. No intervention was made to the preterm infant between 09:00-12:00 and the infant was allowed to rest. Preterm infants were followed for 3 hours (09:00-12:00) with routine 15º head raised prone position. Between these hours, the oxygen saturation and heart rate of the preterm infants in were counted by the researcher with a pulse oximeter device and recorded 18 times in 10 minutes. Sleep-wakefulness status was recorded by taking 15-second recordings with the Actigraphy measuring device.
Experimental: Three-stair positioning pillows group; The infant was cared for, fed and treated by the primary nurse responsible for the infant between 08:30 and 08:55. No intervention was made to the preterm infant between 09:00-12:00 and the infant was allowed to rest. Preterm infants were followed for 3 hours (09:00-12:00) with three-stair positioning pillows. Between these hours, the oxygen saturation and heart rate of the preterm infants in were counted by the researcher with a pulse oximeter device and recorded 18 times in 10 minutes. Sleep-wakefulness status was recorded by taking 15-second recordings with the Actigraphy measuring device.	Other: Three-stair positioning pillows group; The infant was cared for, fed and treated by the primary nurse responsible for the infant between 08:30 and 08:55. No intervention was made to the preterm infant between 09:00-12:00 and the infant was allowed to rest. Preterm infants were followed for 3 hours (09:00-12:00) with three-stair positioning pillows. Between these hours, the oxygen saturation and heart rate of the preterm infants in were counted by the researcher with a pulse oximeter device and recorded 18 times in 10 minutes. Sleep-wakefulness status was recorded by taking 15-second recordings with the Actigraphy measuring device.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sleep Status/minute	Between 09:00-12:00	3 hours
Physiological Parameters (heart rate/minute )	Between 09:00-12:00	3 hours
Physiological Parameters (respiratory rate/minute )	Between 09:00-12:00	3 hours
Wakefulness Status/minute	Measurements were made with an actigraphy device between 09:00 and 12:00.	3 hours
Physiological Parameters (oxygen saturation /%)	Measurements were made with an actigraphy device between 09:00 and 12:00.	3 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Harran University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Fatma BOZDAĞ, Lecturer, Harran University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 15, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): May 28, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 1, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 5, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): January 6, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): January 9, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 6, 2023
• Last Verified: January 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: HRU-BOZDAG-002

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No