Electrical Grounding Improves Vagal Tone in Preterm Infants

2017 · Benefit · Low evidence

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BenefitLow evidencePaper 2242

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2017

Study typeother

Reported directionBenefit

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Electrical Grounding Improves Vagal Tone in Preterm Infants Passi R, Doheny KK, Gordin Y, Hinssen H, Palmer C. Electrical Grounding Improves Vagal Tone in Preterm Infants. Neonatology. 2017 Jun 10;112(2):187-192. doi: 10.1159/000475744. Abstract BACKGROUND: Low vagal tone (VT) is a marker of vulnerability to stress and the risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. Electric fields produced by equipment in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) induce an electric potential measurable on the skin in reference to ground. An electrical connection to ground reduces the skin potential and improves VT in adults. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to measure the electric field strengths in the NICU environment and to determine if connecting an infant to electrical ground would reduce the skin potential and improve VT. We also wished to determine if the skin potential correlated with VT. METHODS: Environmental magnetic flux density (MFD) was measured in and around incubators. Electrical grounding (EG) was achieved with a patch electrode and wire that extended to a ground outlet. We measured the skin potential in 26 infants and heart rate variability in 20 infants before, during, and after grounding. VT was represented by the high-frequency power of heart rate variability. RESULTS: The background MFD in the NICU was below 0.5 mG, but it ranged between 1.5 and 12.7 mG in the closed incubator. A 60-Hz oscillating potential was recorded on the skin of all infants. With EG, the skin voltage dropped by about 95%. Pre-grounding VT was inversely correlated with the skin potential. VT increased by 67% with EG. After grounding, the VT fell to the pre-grounding level. CONCLUSION: The electrical environment affects autonomic balance. EG improves VT and may improve resilience to stress and lower the risk of neonatal morbidity in preterm infants. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeother

Effect directionbenefit

PopulationPreterm infants in a NICU

Sample size26

ExposureELF · before, during, and after grounding (exact durations not stated)

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Background NICU magnetic flux density was reported as below 0.5 mG, while closed incubators ranged from 1.5 to 12.7 mG. A 60-Hz oscillating potential was recorded on the skin of all infants; with electrical grounding, skin voltage dropped by about 95%. Pre-grounding vagal tone was inversely correlated with skin potential, and vagal tone increased by 67% during grounding, returning to pre-grounding levels after grounding.

Outcomes measured

Environmental magnetic flux density (MFD) in/around incubators
Skin electric potential/voltage (60-Hz oscillating potential)
Heart rate variability (high-frequency power) as vagal tone (VT)

Limitations

Journal not provided in metadata field (though cited as Neonatology in abstract)
Study design not explicitly stated in abstract
Duration of grounding/measurement periods not specified
Heart rate variability measured in 20 infants while skin potential measured in 26 infants (incomplete overlap)

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "other",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": "neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) equipment/incubator environment; electrical grounding intervention",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "before, during, and after grounding (exact durations not stated)"
  },
  "population": "Preterm infants in a NICU",
  "sample_size": 26,
  "outcomes": [
    "Environmental magnetic flux density (MFD) in/around incubators",
    "Skin electric potential/voltage (60-Hz oscillating potential)",
    "Heart rate variability (high-frequency power) as vagal tone (VT)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Background NICU magnetic flux density was reported as below 0.5 mG, while closed incubators ranged from 1.5 to 12.7 mG. A 60-Hz oscillating potential was recorded on the skin of all infants; with electrical grounding, skin voltage dropped by about 95%. Pre-grounding vagal tone was inversely correlated with skin potential, and vagal tone increased by 67% during grounding, returning to pre-grounding levels after grounding.",
  "effect_direction": "benefit",
  "limitations": [
    "Journal not provided in metadata field (though cited as Neonatology in abstract)",
    "Study design not explicitly stated in abstract",
    "Duration of grounding/measurement periods not specified",
    "Heart rate variability measured in 20 infants while skin potential measured in 26 infants (incomplete overlap)"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "electrical grounding",
    "NICU",
    "incubator",
    "preterm infants",
    "vagal tone",
    "heart rate variability",
    "skin potential",
    "60 Hz",
    "magnetic flux density",
    "ELF"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "occupational-exposure",
      "weight": 0.2,
      "reason": "NICU environmental field measurements are described, though the population studied is infants rather than workers."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1159/000475744
PubMed: Not supplied

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