Timing for the Introduction of Cycled Light for Extremely Preterm Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Debra H Brandon, Susan G Silva, Jinhee Park and 3 others
PMID 28431191WHAT IT FOUND
Starting cycled light at 28 weeks instead of 36 made no significant difference in weight gain or hospital stay for extremely preterm infants.
The early group left about 5 days sooner, but this was not a proven effect.
Key findings
01Early versus late cycled light did not significantly change weight gain during hospitalization.
02Length of stay was not significantly different, though the early-light group went home 5.5 days sooner on average.
03The study was underpowered because observed effects were smaller than expected.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study was underpowered to detect small differences because the actual effects were smaller than expected. Attrition in the outpatient follow-up data limited the certainty of long-term outcomes. Unmeasured differences between the three step-down nurseries might have influenced the results.
Declared interests
The authors have no financial relationships to disclose and no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that early cycled light shortens hospital stays. The 5.5-day difference was not statistically significant, and the study was underpowered to detect small effects.