Thermoregulation in premature infants: A mathematical model

Area of Science:

• Neonatal physiology
• Biomedical engineering
• Thermoregulation research

Background:

• Preterm infants have immature thermoregulatory systems, making temperature maintenance challenging.
• Maintaining a core body temperature around 37°C is critical for preterm infant health.
• Mathematical models offer insights into heat transfer and body-environment interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a multi-node mathematical model of the thermoregulatory system in newborn infants.
• To provide a customizable model reflecting individual neonatal characteristics.
• To enhance clinical applications by understanding heat transfer processes.

Main Methods:

• A seven-compartment (spherical and cylindrical) mathematical model was created.
• The model incorporates individual neonatal characteristics (gestational age, weight, etc.).
• Validation was performed under conditions of thermal neutrality and transient thermal environments.

Main Results:

• The model accurately predicted skin and core temperatures during thermal neutrality (mean core temp difference: 0.25±0.21°C).
• Simulations showed high accuracy for skin temperature during thermal neutrality (mean difference: 0.36±0.36°C).
• The model effectively simulated thermoregulatory dynamics in transient conditions with low mean absolute errors for core (0.12±0.11°C) and skin (approx. 0.30°C) temperatures.

Conclusions:

• The developed mathematical model accurately predicts infant temperatures under stable and changing thermal conditions.
• This model can be a valuable tool for clinical applications in neonatal care.
• The customizable nature of the model allows for personalized temperature management strategies.