Infection is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in preterm infants. Topical emollients may improve skin integrity and barrier function and thereby prevent invasive infection.

A new study published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews assessed the effect of topical application of emollients (ointments, creams or oils) on the risk of invasive infection and mortality in preterm infants.

In this study, CENTRAL via Cochrane Register of Studies (CRS), Web, and MEDLINE via Ovid databases were searched. Selected articles were randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials that assessed the effect of prophylactic application of topical emollient on the risk of invasive infection, mortality, other morbidity and growth and development in preterm infants. The GRADE approach was used to assess the certainty of evidence for effects on mortality and invasive infection.

Overall, 22 trials with a total of 5578 infants were included. The results revealed that topical ointments or creams may have little effect on invasive infection; while topical oils may reduce invasive infection, but have little or no effect on mortality of preterm infants. The findings of one trial conducted in Bangladesh, including 316 infants, suggested that petroleum-based ointment use may have a slight effect of lowering mortality of preterm infants, compared to sunflower seed oil. On the other hand, both coconut oil and mineral oil use had no reported episodes of invasive infection or death – as recorded in 64 Indian preterm infants. 

Source: The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2021 May 7;5(5):CD001150. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001150.pub4.