ReviewCureus2026
Skin Barrier Modulation and Survival-Relevant Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Topical Emollients in Preterm Infants.
Review in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Topical application of emollients to maintain skin integrity in preterm neonates: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of pediatrics · 2026Pooled it
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
15 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Preterm neonates have an immature skin barrier that predisposes them to excessive water loss, microbial colonization, and systemic infection. Topical emollient therapy has been proposed as a low-cost strategy to support barrier function. However, the extent to which clinical benefits reflect direct permeability changes versus downstream biological effects remains unclear. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020. PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched from inception to January 31, 2025. Randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials evaluating topical emollients in preterm neonates and reporting direct or proxy skin barrier-related outcomes were included. Due to substantial heterogeneity, results were synthesized narratively following the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) framework. Risk of bias was assessed using Risk of Bias Tool 2 (ROB-2), and certainty of evidence was evaluated using GRADE. Seven randomized studies met the inclusion criteria. Only one preterm trial directly measured transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and demonstrated a significant reduction with coconut oil. Three trials reported improved neonatal skin condition scores (NSCS) with emollient therapy. Proxy outcomes included reduced skin deterioration, altered microbial profiles, and lower rates of culture-proven sepsis. A reduction in neonatal mortality was observed in one large trial conducted in a low-resource hospital setting. Heterogeneity in populations, emollient formulations, and outcome measures precluded quantitative meta-analysis. Overall certainty of evidence ranged from low to moderate. Topical emollients are associated with improved skin condition and selected clinical outcomes in preterm neonates, despite limited direct evidence of barrier permeability modification. Observed clinical benefits appear context-dependent and are largely driven by a single large trial. Multidimensional trials integrating biophysical, microbiological, and clinical outcomes are needed to clarify mechanisms and guide targeted clinical application.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.