Transepidermal water loss during halogen spotlight phototherapy in preterm infants.

Among preterm infants there is a relationship between skin blood flow and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). The aim of this study was to assess whether halogen spotlight phototherapy without significant heat stress increases TEWL and affects maintenance fluid requirements in preterm infants. TEWL was measured noninvasively before the start and after 1 h of halogen spotlight phototherapy in a group of preterm infants, nursed in double-walled incubators with moderately high relative humidity.