Tappin D M, Ford R P K, Price B, Macey P M, Larkin J
Department of Paediatrics, Christchurch School of Medicine, Otago University, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Acta Paediatr. 2003 Sep;92(9):1003-6.
To explore the relationship between central and peripheral temperature in normal infants after being put down to sleep.
Overnight shin and rectal temperatures of 21 normal infants were continuously recorded at home for three nights at 2 wk, 6 wk, 3 mo and 5 mo of age. Parents documented the start and end of feed/nappy changes during the night.
An initial fall in rectal temperature was recorded on 149 out of 161 nights. This was linearly correlated with a rise in shin temperature for 106/149 (71%) nights (median R2 = 0.95, lower quartile 0.92, upper quartile 0.97). It was not possible to rule out a change in thermal insulation over the shins as a confounding variable in this strong association. However, a similar inverse relationship was seen between shin and rectal temperature during 111 of 121 (92%) feed/nappy changes.
The fall in rectal temperature after being put down to sleep may be due to redistribution of heat rather than decreased production or heat loss. If causal, the development in early infancy of an inverse relationship between shin and rectal temperature may be important for cardiovascular homeostasis. Further sleep laboratory work is required to distinguish peripheral temperature changes on falling asleep from those associated with changes in thermal insulation.
探讨正常婴儿入睡后中心温度与外周温度之间的关系。
对21名正常婴儿在2周、6周、3个月和5个月大时，连续三个晚上在家中记录其夜间小腿和直肠温度。家长记录夜间喂奶/换尿布的开始和结束时间。
在161个晚上中的149个晚上记录到直肠温度最初下降。其中106/149（71%）个晚上，直肠温度下降与小腿温度升高呈线性相关（中位数R2 = 0.95，下四分位数0.92，上四分位数0.97）。在这种强关联中，无法排除小腿部保暖变化作为混杂变量的影响。然而，在121次喂奶/换尿布过程中的111次（92%）中，小腿温度与直肠温度之间也观察到类似的负相关关系。
入睡后直肠温度下降可能是由于热量重新分布，而非产热减少或热量散失。如果存在因果关系，婴儿早期小腿温度与直肠温度之间的负相关关系的发展可能对心血管稳态很重要。需要进一步开展睡眠实验室研究，以区分入睡时外周温度变化与保暖变化相关的温度变化。
