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Ahn, Sohn, Lee, and Lee: pH, Temperature, Hydration of the Stratum Corneum of the Dorsal Hand and the Cord Area, and Acid Mantle Formation during Early Days of life in High-risk Newborns
Original Article
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing

Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2013; 43(1): 30-38.

Published online: 28 February 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2013.43.1.30

pH, Temperature, Hydration of the Stratum Corneum of the Dorsal Hand and the Cord Area, and Acid Mantle Formation during Early Days of life in High-risk Newborns

Youngmee Ahn, Min Sohn, Sangmi Lee, Mijin Lee

Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Ahn, Youngmee. Department of Nursing, Inha University, 253 Yonghyun-dong, Nam-gu, Incheon, 402-751, Korea. Tel: +82-32-860-8207, Fax: +82-32-874-5880, aym@inha.ac.kr

Received 20 June 2012       Accepted 16 September 2012

© 2013 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Abstract

Purpose

The study was done to explore variations in physiologic parameters of the stratum corneum (SC) of the dorsal hand and cord area during early days of life in high-risk newborns.

Methods

In this longitudinal study, a total of 77 high-risk newborns were assessed for pH, temperature and hydration of the SC of the dorsal hand and the cord area on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th days of life.

Results

Results showed that an acid mantle (AM) was formed in 57.1% for dorsal hand and 35.1% for cord area, implying significant delay regardless of decrease in pH (F=103.60, p<.001), and hydration (F=4.00, p=.003) across days in both areas. Peripheral hypothermia with low hydration level was also observed in both areas. There was a positive relation between hydration and temperature (.14<r<.27, p<.010), and negative relation between hydration and pH in both areas (-.23<r<-.15, p<.010). Antibiotics may play a positive role in AM formation.

Conclusion

High-risk newborns may experience delay in acid mantle formation on SC, hypothermia and decreases in hydration on peripheral sites during the first 7 days of life.

Keywords: Newborns, Skin, Umbilical cord, Hand, Acid

Figures and Tables

Figure 1
pH variation by preterm birth to 7 days of life for dorsal hand and cord area (Interaction: F=25.58, p<.001 at hand; F=52.84, p<.001 at cord area).
jkan-43-30-g001
Table 1
pH, Temperature and Hydration Changes for Dorsal Hand and Cord Area during First 7 Days of Life (N=77)
jkan-43-30-i001
Table 2
Correlation among pH, Temperature and Hydration and Age for Dorsal Hand and Cord Area (N=77)
jkan-43-30-i002

BT=Body temperature; ET=Environmental temperature; EH=Environmental humidity.

Table 3
Frequency of Acid Mantle (AM) Groups for Dorsal Hand and Cord Area for first 7 Days of Life (N=77)
jkan-43-30-i003

Group 1=Group with acid mantle formation; Group 2=Group with no acid mantle formation.

Table 4
Factors relating to Acid Mantle Formation for Dorsal Hand and Cord Area at the 7th Day of Life (N=77)
jkan-43-30-i004

Group 1=Group with acid mantle formation; Group 2=Group without acid mantle formation.

*Transient tachypnea of newborns, Nuchal cord, Meconium aspiration, Twin, Intrauterine growth retardation et al.; †Fisher's exact test; ‡Intraventricular hemorrhage grade<=1 et al.; §n=57.

Notes

This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (No. 2010-0021971).

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