Effect of topical sunflower oil in preventing nosocomial infections in premature infants

One of the most important causes of death in premature infants is nosocomial infections, and skin can be one of the ways of infections enter to the body. Considering the role of sunflower oil with massage in reducing nosocomial infections, the present study was performed with aim to determine the effects local sunflower oil on the prevention of nosocomial infections in premature infants. This clinical trial was performed in 2016 on 60 premature infants (less than 34 weeks of gestation) admitted to the NICU department of Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad. The subjects were placed in two groups: sunflower massage (n=27) and control group (n=33). The body surface of these infants was covered with sunflower oil three times a day for 2 weeks and then twice for up to 28 days. When the baby is getting sick, blood counts, platelet count and white blood cells were measured. Also, after oiling the skin, the skin condition was evaluated on days 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 21) and with t-test and Chi-square test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. There was no significant difference between two groups of sunflower massage and control in terms of the results of primary blood culture (P = 0.67) and secondary positive blood culture (P = 0.15). The clinical status of the neonates' skin in the intervention group was significantly better in the whole period of the study than the control group (P<0.05). The mean hospital stay in the intervention group was about four days less than the control group (P = 0.039). In this study, the use of sunflower oil did not have a significant reduction in the prevention of nosocomial infections. However, due to the better condition of skin and less hospital stay in newborns of the intervention group, the routine use of sunflower oil can be helpful.