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Cited by 101Infant Development and Preterm CareNeonatal Health and BiochemistryCircadian rhythm and melatonin

A light/dark cycle in the NICU accelerates body weight gain and shortens time to discharge in preterm infants

Vásquez-Ruiz, Samuel, Maya-Barrios, José Alfonso, Torres-Narváez, Patricia, Vega-Martínez, Benito Rubén, Rojas-Granados, Adelina, Escobar, Carolina, Ángeles-Castellanos, Manuel·2014·Early Human Development
DOI 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2014.04.015
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Abstract

Background Bright constant light levels in the NICU may have negative effects on the growth and development of preterm infants Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate the benefits of an alternating light/dark cycle in the NICU on weight gain and early discharge from the therapy in premature infants.Patients and methods A randomized interventional study was designed comparing infants in the NICU of Hospital Juarez de México, exposed from birth either to an LD environment (LD, n=19) or to the traditional continuous light (LL, n=19). The LD condition was achieved by placing individual removable helmets over the infant's heads. Body weight gain was analyzed, as the main indicator of stability and the main criteria for discharge in preterm infants born at 31.73±0.31week gestational age.Results Infants maintained in an LD cycle gained weight faster than infants in LL and therefore attained a shorter hospital stay, (34.37±3.12 vs 51.11±5.29days; P>0.01). Also, LD infants exhibited improved oxygen saturation and developed a daily melatonin rhythm.Conclusions These findings provide a convenient alternative for establishing an LD environment for preterm healthy newborns in the NICU and confirm the beneficial effects of an alternating LD cycle for growth and weight gain and for earlier discharge time. Here we provide an easy and practical alternative to implement light/dark conditions in the NICU.

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  • Rearing premature infants (32 weeks gestational age or older) under regular light-dark schedules in the NICU leads to greater and more rapid weight gain than rearing infants under constant bright light or dim light, effectively shortening their hospital stays.

    “However, rearing premature infants (32 weeks gestational age or older) under regular light–dark schedules in the NICU leads to greater and more rapid weight gain than rearing infants under constant bright light or dim light, effectively shortening their hospital stays76,77.”

    From Rhythms of life: circadian disruption and brain disorders across the lifespan (2019) · cites this paper as [77]

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Authors
Vásquez-Ruiz, S., Maya-Barrios, J. A., Torres-Narváez, P., Vega-Martínez, B. R., Rojas-Granados, A., Escobar, C., & Ángeles-Castellanos, M.
Affiliations
  • Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea Gonzalez (MX)
  • Secretaria de Salud (MX)
  • Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX)
ORCID
Venue
Early Human Development
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2014-09
Volume
90
Issue
9
Pages
535-540
ISSN
0378-3782 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2014.04.015
OpenAlex
W2031071294
Cited by
101
References
20
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 2
FWCI
7.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Early Human Development (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Vedecká Grantová Agentúra MŠVVaŠ SR a SAV
  • Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Development and Preterm Care
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Neonatal Health and Biochemistry
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
Keywords
light-dark cycle, preterm infants, neonatal intensive care, weight gain, length of hospital stay, melatonin rhythm, oxygen saturation
MeSH terms
Darkness, Heart Rate, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Intensive Care Units, Neonatal, Length of Stay, Light, Melatonin, Mexico, Milk, Human, Oximetry, Oxygen, Patient Discharge, Saliva, Weight Gain

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