{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T03:14:53Z","timestamp":1787022893162,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)","issue":"5","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2004,5,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Objective. Extremely low birth weight infants have a high risk of developing nosocomial bacterial sepsis (NBS). Immature fragile skin may represent an inadequate protective barrier to bacteria colonizing the skin. We conducted a randomized, multicenter trial to determine whether prophylactic application of an emollient ointment would result in a lower incidence of death and\/or NBS in the first 28 days of life, compared with routine skin care.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>Methods. Infants of birth weight 501 to 1000 g and gestational age \u226430 weeks were assigned randomly to receive generalized application of ointment twice a day through day 14 (prophylactic group [P]) or local application of ointment to the site of injury (routine skin care [R]). The study was conducted at 53 neonatal intensive care units that were members of the Vermont Oxford Network.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>Results. Included in the analysis were 1191 infants (P: 602; R: 589). No difference was found in the combined primary outcome of NBS or death (33.6% P vs 30.3% R; relative risk [RR]: 1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.89, 1.27). The incidence of death was no different between the groups (10.8% P vs 12.1% R; RR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.59, 1.25). More infants in the prophylactic group had NBS (25.8% P vs 20.4% R; RR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.54), predominantly in the lower birth weight infants (501\u2013750 g) and for infections caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci. Infants in the prophylactic group had better skin condition on days 1 to 14 of life and less skin injury on days 15 to 28 of life. There was no difference between groups in other complications of prematurity.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>Conclusions. Prophylactic application of ointment did not lead to a difference in death and\/or NBS in the first 28 days of life. There may be an increase in the risk of NBS associated with this practice.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.113.5.1195","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2004,8,13]],"date-time":"2004-08-13T20:53:04Z","timestamp":1092430384000},"page":"1195-1203","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":115,"title":["The Effect of Prophylactic Ointment Therapy on Nosocomial Sepsis Rates and Skin Integrity in Infants With Birth Weights of 501 to 1000 g"],"prefix":"10.1542","volume":"113","author":[{"given":"William H.","family":"Edwards","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, Children\u2019s Hospital at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jeanette M.","family":"Conner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Roger F.","family":"Soll","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"name":"for the Vermont Oxford Network Neonatal Skin Care Study Group","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"417","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2004,5,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"2021121010054697700_R1","unstructured":"Horbar JD, Kenny M, Carpenter JH, eds. 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