Abstract
A new heating unit (servocontrolled skin temperature derivative system) has been designed to control the thermal environment in closed incubators. This type of control acts to attain and closely maintain a thermal equilibrium between a neonate's skin temperature and the environment. The present study aims to discover if thermal equilibrium is located within a thermoneutral range defined from oxygen consumption (\(\dot V_{O_2 } \)) and body temperature, and whether it is more appropriate to define an optimal thermal environment. As regards\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) and body temperature, results show that the air temperature reached at thermal equilibrium fulfils the definition of thermoneutrality. According to these criteria, a small decrease (1.5°C) from thermal equilibrium also provides a near thermoneutral environment to the neonate but induces sleep disturbances and an increase in body movements. These two additional parameters delineate a narrower thermoneutral zone than does minimal metabolic rate because\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) can stay constant even when air and body temperatures decrease. The results suggest that thermal equilibrium might be assimilated with a thermal comfort zone.
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Telliez, F., Bach, V., Krim, G. et al. Consequences of a small decrease of air temperature from thermal equilibrium on thermoregulation in sleeping neonates. Med. Biol. Eng. Comput. 35, 516–520 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02525533
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02525533