Usefulness of the fluid balance: A randomised controlled trial in neonates. Issue 6 (2nd May 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bekhof, Jolita; van, Yvette; Brand, Paul LP
• Is Part Of: Journal of paediatrics and child health. Volume 49:Issue 6(2013:Jun.)
• Page Start: 486
• Page End: 492
• Publication Date: 2013-05-02
• Subjects: Children -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; 618.92
• DOI: 10.1111/jpc.12214
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1034-4810

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jpc12214-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Aim</title> <p>To assess the effects of fluid balance charts in neonates with moderate disease severity on duration of hospitalisation and medical interventions.</p> </sec> <sec id="jpc12214-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Randomised, controlled trial in a neonatal ward in a general teaching hospital in the Netherlands between June 2009 and March 2010.</p> <p>One hundred seventy neonates with moderate disease severity, requiring continuous monitoring of vital parameters (mean gestational age 36<sup>+2</sup> weeks (standard deviation 2<sup>+5</sup> days), mean birthweight 2782 g (standard deviation 749 g)) participated. In the control group (<italic>n</italic> = 86), attending physicians could access all fluid balance data, whilst these data were blacked out in the intervention group (<italic>n</italic> = 84). Primary outcome was length of hospital stay. Secondary outcomes were percentage weight loss, interventions based on the fluid status, unblinding of fluid balance data and incident reporting.</p> </sec> <sec id="jpc12214-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Length of hospital stay did not differ significantly between the intervention and the control group (median 9 vs. 8 days, with ratio of geometric mean 1.25, 95% confidence interval 0.99 to 1.57; <italic>P</italic> = 0.06). We found no significant differences in secondary outcomes.</p> </sec> <sec id="jpc12214-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Routinely keeping fluid balances in neonates with moderate disease severity does not affect duration of hospitalisation or medical treatment.</p> </sec> </abstract>