NCT02146287

Preterm Infants: Light Effects on Health and Development

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 121 (actual)
• Sponsor: Duke University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 23 Weeks – 28 Weeks
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Preterm babies cared for in the intensive care nursery are exposed to amounts of light that are very different from the exposures to an unborn baby or the newborn term baby. Currently many nurseries try to protect premature babies from too much light. They may also try to create light conditions of day and night like many parent homes. Some studies have shown improvements in health and development of babies cared for in nurseries that try to change light for premature babies.

Conditions

• Preterm Infant Health
• Preterm Infant Development

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Cycled Light	Cycled light was provided in an 11-hour-on, 11-hour-off pattern. Daylight (240-700 lux) was provided with the incubator cover folded on top of the incubator allowing light in from four sides, or with the bassinet cover off during day hours (0730-1830). With the daylight range of 240-700 lux and limited access to natural light, excessive daylight was prevented. Continuous near darkness was provided as (5-30 lux) throughout the day except from 0630-0730 and 1830-1930, when lighting levels varied based on nursing care needs at the change of shift. Near-darkness (5-30 lux) was provided by using incubator (totally covered or with the front flap back) and bassinet covers, and dimming individual bedside light during the day (0730-1830) and night hours (1930-0630).

Timeline

• Start date: 2003-06-01
• Primary completion: 2008-11-01
• Completion: 2008-11-01
• First posted: 2014-05-23
• Last updated: 2017-03-29