06/08/2024
Osteopathic manipulative treatment is associated with a more marked weight increase and a shorter stay in the hospital
In a study conducted by Cicchitti et al. in 2020, the impact of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) on newborn babies admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was assessed.
This observational, longitudinal, retrospective study analyzed all consecutive admitted babies and compared the effects of OMT versus usual care.
The study found that babies who received OMT showed a more significant increase in weight compared to those who received usual care. The weekly weight change was recorded as +83 g in the OMT group, while it was +35 g in the control group, with a p-value of less than 0.001.
Additionally, the OMT group had a shorter length of stay (LOS) compared to the usual care group, both in the overall population and in preterm babies.
The major limitation of this study is its retrospective design, even though adjustments were made for all available possible confounders.
The conclusion of the study suggests that OMT is associated with a more noticeable weekly weight increase and a relevant reduction in the length of stay, particularly in preterm babies.
