The Effect of Light and Noise on Physiological Parameters in a Sample of Preterm Neonates in the Neonatal Intensive Care of Cairo University Teaching Hospital

Background: Some of the neonatal intensive cares (NICUs) partially lack the standard protocols for controlling noise and light. The NICU’s healthy physical environment is crucial for continued normal development of preterm neonates. We aimed to examine the physiological changes (including heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, temperature, and oxygen saturation) induced by noise and ordinary light which often exist in NICUs in a sample of preterm neonates admitted in the growing room due to their low-birth weights.Subjects and methods: This study included 100 preterm neonates, fifty neonates exposed to noise which is often induced in the high-risk NICU and fifty neonates exposed to cyclical light.Results: During noise exposure, neonates in the growing room showed significant increase in the heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure in addition to a significant decrease in oxygen saturation in the first and second days in the NICU. Moreover, neonates exposed to dim light showed significant decrease in the heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure in addition to a significant increase in oxygen saturation compared to those exposed to ordinary light in the first and second days. However, body temperature did not show any significant change with noise or light exposure either in the first day or in the second day. Conclusions: This study showed that the exposure to excessive light and noise was associated with significant changes of vital signs in preterm neonates. In addition, the study highlighted the inadequacy of the current conditions in a sample of Egyptian NICUs for ideal neonatal care. In order to create a favorable environment to help better growth and prevent prematurity complications, more attention to the care conditions of infants in the Egyptian NICUs is recommended.