Use of a transparent adhesive dressing in very low birthweight infants

The present study was designed to test the safety and efficacy of a transparent adhesive dressing (TAD) to decrease transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants. Thirteen infants with birthweights of 770-1,450 g were randomly assigned to either routine care (n = 7) or TAD (n = 6). There were no differences between the groups with regard to weight at birth, length, head circumference, skinfold thickness measures, and fluid balance at any time during the study period. Electric current used by the radiant warmer operated in the servo-control mode was measured using a clamp-type AC ammeter connected to a single channel recorder. The TAD group used an average of 112 +/- 3.9 watts (n = 30 observation periods), the control group 133 +/- 5.5 (n = 34 observation periods), P = less than .01. TEWL measured by an evaporimeter in four infants of each group was significantly higher in the control group than it was in the TAD group in the area where the skin was covered.