Effects of a Parent-Administered Exercise Program in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Dose Does Matter—A Randomized Controlled Trial. Issue 5 (6th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Øberg, Gunn Kristin; Girolami, Gay L; Campbell, Suzann K; Ustad, Tordis; Heuch, Ivar; Jacobsen, Bjarne K; Kaaresen, Per Ivar; Aulie, Vibeke Smith; Jørgensen, Lone
• Is Part Of: Physical therapy. Volume 100:Issue 5(2020)
• Page Start: 860
• Page End: 869
• Publication Date: 2020-04-06
• Subjects: Physical therapy -- Periodicals; Physical therapy; Physical Therapy Modalities; Rehabilitation; Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine; Periodicals; 615.8205
• DOI: 10.1093/ptj/pzaa014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-9023

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Despite the risk of delayed motor development in infants born preterm, knowledge about interventions in the neonatal intensive care unitt (NICU) and the effects of dosing is sparse. Objective: The objectives of this study were to examine the effectiveness of a parent-administered exercise program in the NICU on motor outcome at 3 months corrected age (CA) and the effect of dosing on motor performance. Design: This was a randomized clinical trial. Setting: The study was conducted at 3 university hospitals in Tromsø, Trondheim, and Oslo, Norway. Participants: A total of 153 infants with gestational age < 32 weeks at birth were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. Intervention: A 3-week parent-administered intervention designed to facilitate movements in preterm infants was performed in the NICU. Parents were asked to administer the intervention 10 minutes twice a day. Measurements: Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) was used to assess short-term outcome at 3 months CA. Results: No significant difference in the TIMP z-score was found between intervention and control groups at follow-up 3 months CA, but a significant positive relationship was found between total intervention dose and TIMP z-scores. The adjusted odds of having a clinical z-score < 0 at 3 months CA was about 6 times higher for infants with less than median intervention time than for infants with a longer intervention time. Limitations: The number of infants born before 28 weeks was small. A spillover effect in favor of the control group was possible. We do not know if the infants received physical therapy after discharge from the hospital. Conclusions: There was no difference in motor performance between the intervention group and the control group at 3 months CA. However, an increased intervention dose was positively associated with improved motor outcome.