Randomised controlled trial on the impact of kinesthetic stimulation on early somatic growth of preterm infants in Kangaroo position.

Aim: Evaluation of early growth in preterm infants receiving kinesthetic stimulation with massage in Kangaroo position or in incubator. Methods: A cohort of 66 infants between 30 and 33 weeks of gestational age (GA), born at a university hospital in 2013 in Bogota, were randomised when eligible to intervention. We measured weight gain (g/kg/day) at five days and 15 days postrandomisation and weight at 40 weeks, according to chronological age at randomisation. Results: Daily weight gain was significantly higher (p = 0.02) with kinesthetic stimulation in Kangaroo position with a growth at five days of 11.0 g/kg/day (95% CI 5.7;16.3) and at 15 days of 12.1 g/kg/day (95% CI 10.4;13.7) versus 2.1 g/kg/day (95% CI −3.1;7.4) at five days and 9.4 g/kg/day (95% CI 7.7;11.1) at 15 days in incubator. Weight at 40 weeks was higher (p = 0.05) in Kangaroo position group (2.904 g) than in incubator group (2.722 g) (95% CI 2.784;3.007). Daily weight gain according to chronological age at randomisation was higher when kinesthetic stimulation initiates before five days of life in Kangaroo position with 1.53 g/kg/day (95% CI 5.9;9.0) versus −11.9 g/kg/day (95% CI −19.0;−4.8) in incubator. Conclusion: Early kinesthetic stimulation in Kangaroo position reduces the initial weight loss in infants between 30–33 weeks born without major health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]