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Andrew B. Kairalla MD, Editor
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Cycled Lighting in NICU
Rest-Activity Patterns of Premature Infants Are Regulated by Cycled Lighting. Rivkees SA, Mayes L, and Jacobs H. PEDIATRICS Vol. 113 No. 4 April 2004, pp. 833-839.
Methods. Premature infants who were born at <32 weeks’ postmenstrual age and were medically stable in neonatal intensive care unit rooms were randomly assigned between 32 and 34 weeks’ postmenstrual age to either continuous dim lighting (<25 lux; duration 24 days; control group; n = 29) or cycled lighting (239 ± 29 lux, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM; <25 lux, 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM; duration: 25 days; experimental group; n = 33). Activity was continuously monitored from enrollment until approximately 1 month after discharge from the hospital.
Conclusion. Exposure of premature infants to low-intensity cycled lighting in the hospital nursery induces distinct patterns of rest-activity that are apparent within 1 week after discharge. In comparison, the appearance of distinct patterns of rest and activity are delayed in infants who are exposed to continuous dim lighting in the hospital. These observations show that day-night rhythms in activity patterns can be detected shortly after discharge to home in premature infants and that the circadian clock of developing infants is entrained by cycled lighting.
Comment. For further discussion of the advantages of cycled lighting in preterm infants, see 3-022.
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