Supplementary Material for: Influence of Sunflower Seed Oil on the Skin Barrier Function of Preterm Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Inadequate skin care may increase morbidity in preterm infants. Skin care practices that support skin maturation have barely been investigated. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> To investigate the effect of sunflower seed oil (SSO) on skin barrier development in low-birth-weight premature infants. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> 22 preterm infants (&lt;48 h after birth, 1,500-2,500 g) were randomized into group C (control) and group SSO, receiving daily SSO application during the first 10 postnatal days, followed by no intervention. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum hydration (SCH), skin pH and sebum were measured &lt;48 h after birth and on postnatal days 5, 11 and 21 on the forehead, abdomen, thigh and buttock. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Skin pH decreased, while sebum remained stable in both groups. In group C, TEWL remained stable; in group SSO, TEWL increased significantly on the abdomen, leg and buttock until day 11, followed by a decrease after SSO application had been stopped. Abdomen SCH remained stable in group C, but continuously decreased in group SSO until day 21. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> SSO application may retard postnatal skin barrier maturation in preterm infants.

<b><i>背景：</i></b> 早产儿皮肤护理不当可能会增加其发病风险，而有助于皮肤成熟的皮肤护理方案迄今鲜有研究。<b><i>目的：</i></b> 探讨葵花籽油（sunflower seed oil, SSO）对低出生体重早产儿皮肤屏障发育的影响。<b><i>方法：</i></b> 将22名早产儿（出生后48小时内，出生体重1500~2500g）随机分为C组（对照组）与SSO组，SSO组在出生后前10天每日涂抹葵花籽油，之后不再进行干预。分别于出生后48小时内、出生后第5、11、21天，对前额、腹部、大腿及臀部进行经表皮水分丢失（Transepidermal water loss, TEWL）、角质层含水量（stratum corneum hydration, SCH）、皮肤pH值及皮脂含量的检测。<b><i>结果：</i></b> 两组受试者的皮肤pH值均有所下降，皮脂含量则维持稳定。C组的经表皮水分丢失量无明显变化；SSO组的腹部、大腿及臀部经表皮水分丢失量在第11天前显著升高，在停止SSO涂抹后出现下降。C组腹部角质层含水量维持稳定，而SSO组腹部角质层含水量则持续下降至第21天。<b><i>结论：</i></b> 涂抹葵花籽油可能会延缓早产儿出生后的皮肤屏障成熟进程。