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Pilot clinical trial on supportive rehabilitation care in neonatal intensive unit. Influence of ambient noise on premature infants

Journal of Perinatology (2025)Cite this article

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The setting of a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be disturbed by unpredictable noise from therapy equipment, air conditioning, door closing, staff conversation, infant’s whine, incubators’ reverberant spaces, to which preterm infants are highly susceptible [1, 2]. Ambient noise levels in NICU can reach 59 dB(A) [3], the incubator providing a 6 dB(A) decrease in noise exposure compared to crew cabin [4]. Guidelines by the US Environmental Protection Agency, recommend maintaining NICU noise level below 45 dB(A) [5].

This pilot study emerged from the necessity to explore whether noise could potentially influence the outcomes of the ongoing clinical trials evaluating the effects of kangaroo care and music therapy (Ethics Committee, Catania 1, 122/2022/PO).

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy

    Rita Chiaramonte, Giorgia Fiorenza, Patrizia Finocchiaro, Chiara Di Marco & Michele Vecchio

  2. Laboratory of Neuro-Biomechanics, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy

    Matteo Cioni

  3. Integrated Activity Department for the Protection of Mother and Child Health, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, AOU Policlinico-San Marco, University of Catania, via S. Sofia 78, 95100, Catania, Italy

    Maria Annunziata Conversano, Carmine Loretta Mattia, Maria Carmela Caracciolo & Pasqua Maria Betta

  4. Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124, Catania, Italy

    Venerando Rapisarda

  5. Rehabilitation Unit, AOU Policlinico G. Rodolico, 95123, Catania, Italy

    Michele Vecchio

Authors
  1. Rita Chiaramonte
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  2. Matteo Cioni
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  3. Giorgia Fiorenza
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  4. Patrizia Finocchiaro
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  5. Maria Annunziata Conversano
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  6. Carmine Loretta Mattia
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  7. Maria Carmela Caracciolo
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  8. Chiara Di Marco
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  9. Venerando Rapisarda
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  10. Pasqua Maria Betta
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  11. Michele Vecchio
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Contributions

Conceptualization CR, CM, BPM, VM; methodology FG, FP, CMA, MCL,CMC, DMC, RV; validation CR, CM, FG, FP, CMA, MCL, CMC, DMC, RV, BPM, VM.; investigation FG, FP, CMA, MCL, CMC, DMC, RV; data curation, FG, FP, CMA, MCL,CMC, DMC, RV; writing—original draft preparation CR, CM, BPM, VM; writing—review and editing CR, CM, BPM, VM; visualization, CR, CM, FG, FP, CMA, MCL, CMC, DMC, RV, BPM, VM; supervision, BPM. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Rita Chiaramonte.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Chiaramonte, R., Cioni, M., Fiorenza, G. et al. Pilot clinical trial on supportive rehabilitation care in neonatal intensive unit. Influence of ambient noise on premature infants. J Perinatol (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-025-02322-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-025-02322-0

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