Table 2 Skin barrier integrity measures of neonates at five time points during the neonatal period, Sarlahi, Nepal

Erythema Score, Chest

0.46 (0.61) N = 500

0.48 (0.62) N = 494

0.73 (0.63) N = 480

0.73 (0.62) N = 482

0.68 (0.59) N = 474

0.69 (0.62) N = 479

0.74 (0.63) N = 464

0.72 (0.61) N = 463

0.49 (0.54) N = 394

0.46 (0.55) N = 395

Erythema Score, Arm

0.55 (0.67) N = 500

0.53 (0.65) N = 494

0.77 (0.63) N = 480

0.77 (0.60) N = 482

0.80 (0.58) N = 474

0.84 (0.62) N = 479

0.90 (0.63) N = 464

0.90 (0.60) N = 463

0.61 (0.53) N = 394

0.57 (0.56) N = 395

Erythema Score, Leg

0.57 (0.68) N = 500

0.54 (0.67) N = 494

0.74 (0.65) N = 480

0.75 (0.65) N = 482

0.77 (0.61) N = 474

0.81 (0.64) N = 479

0.82 (0.62) N = 464

0.84 (0.60) N = 463

0.63 (0.59) N = 394

0.58 (0.61) N = 395

Rash Score, Chest

0.13 (0.39) N = 500

0.16 (0.43) N = 494

0.67 (0.76) N = 480

0.63 (0.75) N = 482

0.72 (0.77) N = 474

0.73 (0.80) N = 479

0.97 (0.79) N = 464

0.97 (0.80) N = 463

0.66 (0.70) N = 394

0.68 (0.74) N = 395

Rash Score, Arm

0.17 (0.47) N = 500

0.13 (0.40) N = 494

0.65 (0.76) N = 480

0.61 (0.76) N = 482

0.93 (0.84) N = 474

0.90 (0.88) N = 479

1.18 (0.87) N = 464

1.19 (0.87) N = 463

0.74 (0.72) N = 394

0.73 (0.74) N = 395

Rash Score, Leg

0.15 (0.44) N = 500

0.12 (0.37) N = 494

0.52 (0.70) N = 480

0.48 (0.69) N = 482

0.71 (0.78) N = 474

0.70 (0.77) N = 479

0.98 (0.78) N = 464

1.02 (0.82) N = 463

0.74 (0.74) N = 394

0.69 (0.74) N = 395

Dryness Score, Chest

0.002 (0.03) N = 500

0.004 (0.07) N = 494

0.010 (0.16) N = 480

0.016 (0.20) N = 482

0.017 (0.20) N = 474

0.029 (0.27) N = 479

0.050 (0.37) N = 464

0.038 (0.32) N = 463

0 N = 394

0.011 (0.16) N = 395

Dryness Score, Arm

0.004 (0.07) N = 500

0.018 (0.19) N = 494

0.067 (0.40) N = 480

0.049 (0.35) N = 482

0.16 (0.65) N = 474

0.15 (0.64) N = 479

0.15 (0.64) N = 464

0.27 (0.85) N = 463

0.020 (0.20) N = 394

0.029 (0.27) N = 395

Dryness Score, Leg

0.010 (0.15) N = 500

0.02 (0.26) N = 494

0.027 (0.23) N = 480

0.033 (0.29) N = 482

0.12 (0.56) N = 474

0.14 (0.63) N = 479

0.039 (0.31) N = 464

0.06 (0.40) N = 463

0.024 (0.26) N = 394

0.039 (0.33) N = 395

Skin pH

6.1 (0.53) N = 498

6.2 (0.53)^§ N = 495

5.7 (0.53) N = 480

5.8 (0.52) N = 481

5.3 (0.58) N = 472

5.4 (0.56) N = 479

5.2 (0.57) N = 459

5.2 (0.56) N = 461

5.0 (0.61) N = 389

5.0 (0.60) N = 386

TEWL (g/m²/hr)

33.2 (23.5) N = 499

35.5 (23.8) N = 494

36.1 (24.7) N = 480

37.2 (24.6) N = 480

37.6 (24.5) N = 468

39.1 (25.1) N = 475

40.7 (24.3) N = 458

40.7 (24.1) N = 453

43.0 (24.5) N = 386

42.0 (23.2) N = 384

Protein concentration (μg/cm²)

16.6 (7.88) N = 497

17.9 (7.87)* N = 491

N/A

N/A

13.3 (6.52) N = 473

14.0 (6.74) N = 475

13.4 (6.96) N = 460

14.1 (6.78) N = 459

13.5 (5.89) N = 391

14.7 (6.03) ^§ N = 388