TRANSEPIDERMAL WATER LOSS IN NEWBORN INFANTS

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Abstract
Using a method previously described, the evaporation rate (ER) was studied at different humidities in 12 newborn infants born after 25-30 wk of gestation and 10 infants born after 32-35 wk. Transepidermal H2O loss (TEWL) was estimated in 32 infants born after 25-39 wk of gestation. The ER values were highest in the infants with the lowest gestational age and the susceptibility to changes in ambient humidity was also greater at lower gestational ages. An exponential relationship was found between TEWL and gestational age, TEWL being 15 times higher in infants born after 25 wk of gestation than in full-term infants.