Oxygen consumption in premature infants in an incubator of proven clinical efficacy.

Oxygen consumption was measured under carefully controlled conditions during non-REM sleep in 16 infants less than 1,500 g in a computer-controlled incubator and a skin servo-controlled incubator. Oxygen consumption was 7.16 +/- SE 0.35 ml/kg/min in the computer-controlled incubator and 6.84 +/- SE 0.37 ml/kg/min in the skin servo-controlled incubator. Oxygen consumption was similar in the two incubator systems.