Effect of Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention on Feeding Progression and Length of Hospital Stay: A Randomized Controlled Trial in a Tertiary Hospital in Burkina Faso

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Résumé

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention
(PIOMI) on oral feeding progression and length of hospital stay in preterm
infants hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in Burkina Faso, a low-resource setting
where neonatal care relies largely on simplified developmental care practices.
Methods: A randomized, open-label, two-parallel-group trial was conducted
in the neonatal unit of the Yalgado Ouédraogo University Hospital
(CHU-YO), Ouagadougou, from November 7, 2024 to January 6, 2025. Preterm
infants with a gestational age of 29 - 34 weeks were randomized into two
matched groups according to gestational age and birth weight: the PIOMI
group (n = 30) and a control group receiving standard care (n = 30). Standard
care consisted of routine developmental and supportive neonatal practices including
kangaroo mother care, sensory protection, swaddling, and analgesic
oral sucrose during procedures. The primary outcome was length of hospital
stay. Secondary outcomes included time to achieve feeding independence,
progression through feeding stages, and weight gain. Results: The initial characteristics
of the sixty premature infants included were comparable between
the groups: Gestational age (31.1 ± 1.2 GA vs 31.0 ± 1.1 GA; p = 0.78), and
birth weight (1248 ± 180 g vs 1239 ± 175 g; p = 0.84). The length of hospital
stay was significantly shorter in the PIOMI group: 15.6 ± 4.8 days vs 20.1 ± 5.2
days (p = 0.003), representing an average reduction of 4.5 days. The time to achieve feeding independence was shorter in the PIOMI group: 11.2 ± 2.1 days
vs 13.0 ± 2.4 days (p = 0.01). The average daily weight gain was higher in the
PIOMI group: 18.2 ± 4.3 g/kg/day vs 15.1 ± 3.9 g/kg/day (p = 0.02). Conclusion:
PIOMI improves feeding progression and significantly reduces the
length of hospital stay for preterm infants. This simple and inexpensive intervention
could be integrated into developmental care in neonatal units in resource-
constrained countries.

Mots-clés

Preterm Infant, PIOMI, Oral Feeding, Length of Hospital Stay, Developmental Care