Abstract
Introduction
The study of the diaphragm muscle has aroused the interest of physiotherapists who work with kinesiological ultrasonography, but still little explored; however, its findings can contribute to the clinical practice of hospitalized patients in neonatal intensive care units.
Objective
To measure the excursion and thickening of the diaphragm and describe measurements among neonates, preterm, and full-term.
Methods
Diaphragmatic kinesiological ultrasonography was performed on hospitalized newborns, in Neonatal Unit Care Unit, placed in supine position in their own bed, on the sixth day of life. Three repeated measurements of the same respiratory cycle were made, both for excursion and for diaphragmatic thickening.
Results
37 newborns participated in the study and 25 were premature. The mean weight at the time of collection was 2,307.0 ± 672.76 grams and the gestational age was 35.7 ± 3.3 weeks. Diaphragmatic excursion increased with increasing gestational age (p = 0.01, df = 0.21) in term infants (p = 0.17, df = 0.35).
Conclusion
There was a positive correlation between diaphragmatic excursion and gestational age. There was no statistically significant difference in the measurements of excursion and inspiratory diaphragm thickening between preterm and term newborns, although pointing to higher measurements in the latter group.
Diaphragm; Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Newborn; Physiotherapy; Ultrasonography
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