Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomised trials and case studies were included.
Specific interventions included in the review
Direct positioning (prone lying, sidelying, semisitting, hemitra and body tilting) and indirect positioning (waterbed, water pillow, air mattress and rocking bed).
Participants included in the review
Prematurely born infants (gestational age of less than 36 weeks and birth weight of less than 2.5 kg) were included.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Physiological outcomes including at least one cardiopulmonary or growth parameter, and developmental outcomes including either neurobehavioural or neuromotor parameters and head shape.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors do not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the authors performed the selection. Studies had to include prematurely born infants who were on a positioning programme while in the neonatal intensive care unit.