Search

Background: The aim of our study was to compare the analgesic/sedative effects of various fundus-related procedural pain management strategies on the risk of retinopathy in premature infants. Method: This was a prospective comparative study involving a total of 94 neonates randomized to three groups meeting the criteria for at-risk neonates. Ophthalmologic screening was performed to evaluate the outcome of three procedural pain management strategies. The intensity of pain over time during and after the screening examination was evaluated. At the same time, we also looked at the occurrence of vegetative symptoms and their influence by the chosen medication. Pain response was observed in all 94 neonates enrolled in the study. In group A, no pain treatment was given. Group B had a local anesthetic oxybuprocaine hydrochloride 0.4% introduced into both eyes immediately prior to the examination. Group C received oral clonidine. The study was conducted as a pilot project and aimed to clarify the problem so that a project with a higher proband representation could take place in the future. Consequently, we performed quantitative analysis of complete pain and vegetative functions, followed by a qualitative analysis of their internal components. Results: In our study, we identified the most considerable effects for all three groups, including NIPS (Neonatal Infant Pain Scale) responses immediately during and after the examination. The influence of vegetative functions is of a longer-term nature and increased values can be clearly demonstrated even six hours after the examination. Conclusion: The current results identify and quantify differences among all three methods of pain treatment on the level of single variables. Their internal structures, however, can be analysed only qualitatively because of the small size of the analysed sample.

Intense research for more than three decades expelled the view that neonates do not experience pain. The aim of this survey was to investigate whether the Greek physicians involved in neonatal intensive care have changed their perceptions regarding neonatal pain, adapting their management practices to the knowledge that have emerged in the past 20-years. This study is a survey conducted at two time-points, 20 years apart. Anonymous questionnaires were distributed to 117 and 145 physicians working in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) all over Greece in years 2000 and 2019, respectively. The response rate was 90.6 and 80.7% in 2000 and 2019, respectively. All respondents, at both time-points, believed that neonates experience pain, which has serious acute and long-term consequences, while the vast majority considered analgesia-sedation (A-S) during painful interventions as obligatory. Utilization of NICU protocols and pain assessment tools remained low although increased significantly between 2000 and 2019. The use of systemic A-S postoperatively was high at both time-points, while its implementation in infants subjected to prolonged pain, specifically mechanical ventilation, increased significantly by 2019. Systemic or local analgesia for acute procedural pain was used by lower proportions of physicians in 2019, except for the tracheal intubation. In contrast, the use of sweet solutions and non-pharmacological measures prior to or during bedside procedures significantly increased over time. Opioid administration significantly increased, while a shift from morphine to fentanyl was observed. International literature and perinatal–neonatal congresses were stated as the main sources of updating physicians' knowledge and improving management practice on neonatal pain prevention and treatment. In conclusion, Greek NICU-physicians' perceptions that neonates can experience pain with potentially serious acute and long-term consequences remained strong over the past 20 years. Although physicians' practices on neonatal pain management improved, they are still suboptimal, while significant differences exist among centers. Continuing education, globally accepted management protocols, and readily applied pain assessment tools would further improve the management of procedural pain and stress in neonates.

Introduction: Neonates who undergo painful medical procedures should be given analgesics to reduce future adverse risks. The evidence for massage therapy (MT) as an analgesic method still varies, both in its terminology and implementation. Only a few studies on this topic have been conducted using a standardised trial approach. This review can thus become the basis for better future research. Objective: This review aims to identify literature on MT practices as a method to manage or control pain in neonates undergoing painful procedures. Methods: The methodology for this review followed the JBI scoping review methodology guidelines. Searches were performed in several databases: MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL (EBSCO), Scopus (Elsevier) and EMBASE. Data collected were then extracted by two independent reviewers, synthesised and presented in the form of tables and narratives. Results: Fifteen studies involving a total of 1,058 neonates in nine countries were identified in the search as meeting the criteria set for this review. One study was a comparative study, five were quasi-experiment studies and nine were randomised control trials (RCT). Conclusion: The implementation of massage as a non-pharmacological analgesic method for neonates undergoing painful procedures varied among the reviewed studies. Differences were identified in terms of the body part massaged, the duration and intensity of the massage, the level of pressure and the combination of massage with other methods. All studies presented positive results for reducing pain intensity in neonates undergoing procedural pain. Therefore, it is crucial that the method used for giving massage should be practical, accurate and safe.

Objective: The objectrve is to compare the analgesic effect of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), oral dextrose 50% (D50) and supine nesting position in late preterm neonates (34 week to <37 week Gestation Age) while doing heel prick for blood glucose monitoring. Materials and Methods: Babies were randomized into three groups; KMC, D50 and supine nesting. Premature infant pain profile (PIPP) score was used to measure pain severity following heel prick. Total crying time was also compared. Results: Data of 149 eligible babies were analyzed; significant difference was noted in total PIPP scores (mean; SD) across groups; KMC (8.42 [1.99]), D50 (8.76 [1.84]) and nesting (13.08 [1.70]) (P < 0.001). Post hoc analysis revealed comparable scores among KMC and D50 groups (P = 0.638), significantly less than nesting group (P < 0.001). Significant difference in crying time (median; interquartile range) was also noted amongst three groups (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The analgesic effect of KMC and oral D50 is comparable and found to be superior to supine nesting position in reducing pain of heel prick. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging technologies may enable detection of endometrial cancer with methods that are less invasive than standard biopsy methods. This study compares patient pain scores among 3 office gynecologic tract sampling methods and explores their potential determinants. A prospective study including 3 sampling methods (tampon, Tao brush (TB), endometrial biopsy (EB)) was conducted between December 2015 and August 2017 and included women ≥45 years of age presenting with abnormal uterine bleeding, postmenopausal bleeding, or thickened endometrial stripe. Patients rated pain after each sampling procedure using a 100-point visual analog scale (VAS). Of 428 enrolled, 190 (44.39%) patients underwent all 3 sampling methods and reported a VAS score for each. Nearly half were postmenopausal (n = 93, 48.9%); the majority were parous (172, 90.5%) of which 87.8% had at least one vaginal delivery. Among the 190 patients, the median (IQR) pain score was significantly lower for sampling via tampon (0 [0,2]) compared to TB (28 [12, 52]) or EB (32 [15, 60]) (both p < 0.001, Wilcoxon signed rank test). Among women who underwent tampon sampling, age and pain scores showed a weak positive correlation (Spearman rank correlation, r = 0.14; p = 0.006); EB sampling was associated with a weak inverse correlation between parity and pain scores (r = −0.14; p = 0.016). Gynecologic tract sampling using a tampon had significantly lower pain than both EB and TB. Pain with tampon sampling was positively correlated with age and pain with EB sampling was inversely correlated with parity. Pain scores for TB and EB were not significantly related to age, menopausal status, or BMI. • Gynecologic sampling using a tampon was less painful than endometrial biopsy or cytology. • Increasing age was associated with higher pain scores with tampon sampling. • Future studies of tampon-collected vaginal fluid and molecular markers of cancer are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Virtual reality (VR) has shown promise in reducing children's pain and anxiety during venipuncture, but studies on VR lack objective observations of pediatric coping. Notably, the process of capturing objective behavioral coping data can be labor- and personnel-intensive. Objective: The primary aims of this pilot trial were to assess the feasibility of conducting a trial of VR in a pediatric emergency department and the feasibility of documenting observed coping behaviors during pediatric procedures. Secondarily, this study examined whether VR affects child and caregiver coping and distress during venipuncture in the pediatric emergency department. Methods: This stratified, randomized, controlled pilot trial compared coping and distress between child life-supported VR engagement and child life specialist support without VR during painful procedures in children aged 7-22 years in the pediatric emergency department. An external control (reference group) received no standardized support. Primary feasibility outcomes included rates of recruitment, rates of withdrawal from VR, and rates of completed Child Adult Medical Procedure Interaction Scale-Short Form (CAMPIS-SF) observations. Secondary clinical outcomes were applied to venipuncture procedures and included CAMPIS-SF coping and distress (range 0-1.0), pain and anxiety on a visual analog scale (range 0-10), and cybersickness symptoms. Results: Overall recruitment was 93% (66/71), VR withdrawal rate was 27% (4/15), and of the completed procedures, 100% (63/63) CAMPIS-SF observations were completed. A total of 55 patients undergoing venipuncture in the pediatric emergency department were included in the analyses of clinical outcomes: 15 patients (15 caregivers) randomized to VR, 20 patients (15 caregivers) randomized to child life specialist support, and 20 patients (17 caregivers) in the reference group. Patient coping differed across groups with higher coping in the VR group and child life specialist group than in the reference group (P=.046). There were no significant differences in the distress and pain ratings for patients and caregivers between the groups. Caregivers rated the lowest perceived anxiety in the child life specialist group (P=.03). There was no apparent change in cybersickness symptoms before and after VR use (P=.37). Conclusions: Real-time documentation of observed behaviors in patients and caregivers was feasible during medical procedures in which VR was utilized, particularly with the availability of research staff. VR and child life specialists improved coping in children during venipuncture procedures. Given the high participation rate, future studies to evaluate the efficacy of VR are recommended to determine whether an off-the-shelf VR headset can be a low-cost and low-risk tool to improve children's coping during venipuncture or other related procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé: Chez les patients âgés dépendants, la douleur procédurale peut être favorisée par les soins quotidiens. La prise en charge antalgique est bien définie, cependant celle de l'anxiété associée est moins codifiée. Au sein de notre établissement, les médecins gériatres utilisent le midazolam injectable per os à faible posologie 30 minutes avant les soins douloureux. Objectif. Valider l'utilisation du midazolam per os en prémédication anxiolytique avant des soins quotidiens (soins d'hygiène, réfection de pansement...) en unités de soins de longue durée gériatriques. Matériel et méthode. Nous avons effectué une recherche documentaire en privilégiant les sources tertiaires d'information. Nous avons également étudié la faisabilité d'une préparation magistrale de midazolam administrable per os et proposé un protocole de prise en charge correspondant. Résultats. Deux méta-analyses ont démontré l'efficacité du midazolam – y compris per os – en prémédication anxiolytique d'actes douloureux anxiogènes. La faisabilité d'une suspension buvable de midazolam concentrée à 1 mg/mL a également été confirmée. Notre protocole d'utilisation prévoit que le midazolam per os soit utilisé 30 minutes avant le soin. La posologie doit être titrée (posologie initiale : 1 mg puis augmentation par pallier de 0,5 à 1 mg) et ne doit pas dépasser 5 mg. Ces éléments ont été intégrés dans une planche d'information. Conclusion. Ce premier retour d'expérience montre que l'utilisation de midazolam per os en prémédication anxiolytique avant des soins quotidiens est pertinente. Procedural pain in care homes is common and can be caused by daily care. Pain management is well defined but associated anxiety is less. Geriatricians of our care homes prescribe oral intravenous midazolam in this situation. Objective. Determine the appropriateness of oral midazolam as an anxiolytic premedication before daily care (personal hygiene, wound dressing) in care homes. Material and method. We performed a literature review, favoring tertiary information sources. We also studied the feasibility of a midazolam oral suspension and proposed a management protocol. Results. Two meta-analysis provide evidence that oral midazolam is effective in different kind of painful and anxious procedures. A stability study also confirmed the feasibility of a 1 mg/mL oral suspension. According to our management protocol, oral midazolam should be administered 30 minutes before the care. Doses should be established gradually (beginning from 1 mg, increasing by 0.5-1 mg) and should not exceed 5 mg. This information is compiled in a leaflet. Conclusion. This first feedback confirmed the relevance of oral midazolam in preventing anxiety associated with daily care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the effects of a hypnotic communication (HC) training for paediatric nurses in decreasing patients' pain and distress during venipunctures. Methods: A 4-day theoretical and practical HC training was offered to five paediatric oncology nurses. The effects of HC were tested with 22 young cancer patients (13 girls, 9 boys, 10 ± 4 years) over four time points, with 88 encounters being video-recorded and coded in stable professional-patient dyads. Patients' pain and distress were rated by patients and parents with visual analogue scales and coded from recordings using the Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) scale. Results: We observed a significant decrease in pre-post distress reported by parents (d = 0.45, p = 0.046). Two out of five nurses with higher skills acquisition had larger reduction in patients' self-reported pain (d = 1.03, p = 0.028), parents perceived pain (d = 1.09, p = 0.042), distress (d = 1.05, p = 0.043) as well as observed pain (d = 1.22, p = 0.025). Favourable results on pain and distress did not maintain at follow-up. Conclusion and clinical implications: Training nurses in HC may translate into improved pain and distress in patients, both self-rated and observed provided that skills are used in practice. HC training is a promising non-pharmacological intervention to address pain in paediatrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the distraction cards, virtual reality and Buzzy® methods on venipuncture pain and anxiety in children aged 7–12 years. This was a randomized controlled trial with parallel groups conducted between November 16, 2017 and August 14, 2018 at the pediatric venipuncture unit of a university hospital in Western Turkey. The sample consisted of 142 children who met the inclusion criteria. The experimental group consisted of 108 children divided into three groups: Distraction Cards (DC; n = 35), Virtual Reality (VR; n = 37), and Buzzy® (n = 36). The control group (n = 34) received no intervention during venipuncture. Data were collected using a descriptive characteristics form, and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Wong-Baker FACES, and Children's Fear Scale (CFS). The participants themselves and their parents and the researcher scored venipuncture pain and anxiety levels. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee. Permission was obtained from related institutions. Informed consent was obtained from parents. Verbal consent was obtained from children prior to participation. Buzzy® group had the lowest mean VAS score (2.2 ± 2.0), followed by the VR (2.7 ± 2.8), DC (3.4 ± 2.4), and control (5.2 ± 2.8) groups (p < 0.05). According to all raters (child, parent, and researcher), the Buzzy® group had the lowest mean Wong Baker FACES score, followed by the VR, DC, and control groups (p < 0.05). According to all raters, the Buzzy® group had the lowest mean CFS score, followed by the VR, DC, and control groups (p < 0.05). The DC, VR, and Buzzy® methods were effective in reducing venipuncture pain and anxiety in children. Nurses can use the DC, VR, and Buzzy® methods to help reduce venipuncture pain and anxiety in children. The clinical trial registration number is NCT04421430. (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT04421430). • The study is the first RCTto investigate the effect of DC, VR, and Buzzy® Figure 1, 2, 3 and 4 on venipuncture pain and anxiety in children. • DC, VR, and Buzzy® methods are effective nonpharmacological methods that can be used to reduce procedural pain and anxiety. • Those methods can be safely used for venipuncture pain and anxiety management in children 7–12 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haemoglobin levels assessment is a crucial part of neonatal intensive care practice, the painful experience of repeated heel pricks and venepunctures blood sampling may negatively affect neonatal clinical course. To date the reliability of haemoglobin levels obtained by point-of-care testing (POCT) analysis if compared to standard blood cell count remains controversial. Retrospective study conducted on all inborn premature infants (gestational age < 32 weeks) admitted to NICU of the IRCCS Giannina Gaslini Institute during the period May 2021–April 2023. We considered blood samplings occurred within the first 28 days of life recording the laboratory haemoglobin levels (Hblab) (reference method), the point-of-care haemoglobin levels (HbPOCT) (alternative method) and the type of puncture (arterial, venous and capillary). A Bland-Altman analysis was performed to evaluate the Hb agreement, it determines the bias (mean difference between the reference and alternative methods) and limits of agreement (LOA; lower, l-LOA; upper, u-LOA) of measures. An acceptable limit of agreement was 1 g/dl according to the existing literature. We considered 845 blood samplings from 189 enrolled patients. The comparison between the reference and the alternative method showed a good agreement for the capillary sampling technique with l-LOA of −0.717 (−0.776; −0.659) and u-LOA of 0.549 (0.490; 0.607), these results were not achievable with the other techniques, with LOAs over ±1 g/dl threshold (venous

Wieslawa Piotrowska,1 Wojciech Leppert,1 Mikolaj Majkowicz2 1Laboratory of Quality of Life Research, Chair and Department of Palliative Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland; 2Institute of Health Sciences, Pomeranian Academy, Słupsk, Poland Aim: Comparison of analgesia, adverse effects, and quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients in the treatment of procedural pain induced by nursing procedures with the use of intravenous morphine, fentanyl nasal spray, and fentanyl buccal tablets. Methods: In adults with cancer with opioid tolerance and suffering procedural pain, intravenous morphine was used at an inpatient palliative medicine unit (20 patients) and fentanyl by intranasal (15 patients) and buccal routes (nine patients) at home. Five procedural pain episodes were examined: the Mini-Mental State Examination was used to assess cognitive function, the Brief Pain Inventory – short form (BPI-SF) to assess intensity and impact of pain on daily activities, a pain and adverse-effect questionnaire to assess the intensity of pain and adverse effects, and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C15-PAL to assess QoL. Results: All five procedural pain episodes were completed by 32 patients. Twelve patients stopped treatment due to death or referral to the hospital (four patients in each group), changes in the treatment of background pain (three patients), and intense drowsiness (one patient). Similar beneficial analgesic effects were observed in all patient groups. During fentanyl therapy, a smaller negative effect of pain on patients’ activity, walking, and work (BPI-SF) was observed. Among adverse effects, fewer breaths (10–14 per minute) were observed in 17 patients and slight disturbances of consciousness in seven. For QoL, an improvement in emotional functioning, overall QoL, and fatigue was observed. Patients treated with intranasal and buccal fentanyl had higher physical functioning and were more active. Conclusion: In the treatment of procedural pain induced by nursing procedures in cancer patients, intravenous morphine and rapid-onset fentanyl show similarly high analgesic efficacy, with good tolerance of treatment and improvement in QoL. Keywords: analgesia, cancer, procedural pain, adverse effects, quality of life

Background: Pain management of children with a burn is one of the most important issues in pediatrics medicine. Non-pharmacological methods of pain control can play an important role in suitable some patients. This study was aimed conducted with the aim ofto investigating investigate the effect of Medical-directed play on the severity of pediatric pain during burn dressing change in children. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 82, 3- to 6- year-old children referring to a burn center in Tehran, Iran, for their first burn dressing change. The children were assigned into control (n=41) and intervention (n=41) groups by random allocation method. The Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) scale was used to measure the severity of pain before and during the dressings. The arterial blood oxygen level and pulse rate were also measured by a pulse oximeter. In the intervention group, the children were taught about the dressing steps 15 minutes before starting the procedure using a doll. The control group received routine care. The pain intensity, pulse rate, and arterial blood oxygen were compared between the groups by the Independent t-test, Paired t-test, Chi-square, and Fisher’s exact exact-test using in SPSS V. 20. Results: There was a significant difference between the groups between regarding the mean score of pain intensity during dressing between the groups (P=0.041). A significant difference was also found in the mean heart rate of the groups during dressing (P

• Cumulative pain has been proven to influence brain development in preterm infants. • Translational animal studies show some harmful effects of pain on brain histology. • Evidence supporting epigenetics as potential underlying mechanism is still scarce. • The interplay among pain, epigenetics and brain development needs to be assessed. • Despite knowledge gaps, it is crucial to minimize pain exposure in neonatal units. Very preterm infants may manifest neurodevelopmental impairments, even in the absence of brain lesions. Pathogenesis is complex and multifactorial. Evidence suggests a role of early adversities on neurodevelopmental outcomes, via epigenetic regulation and changes in brain architecture. In this context, we focused on cumulative pain exposure which preterm neonates experience in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We systematically searched for: i) evidence linking pain with brain development and exploring the potential pathogenetic role of epigenetics; ii) preclinical research supporting clinical observational studies. Nine clinical neuroimaging studies, during neonatal or school age, mostly from the same research group, revealed volume reduction of white and gray matter structures in association with postnatal pain exposure. Three controlled animal studies mimicking NICU settings found increased cell death or apoptosis; nevertheless, eligible groups were limited in size. Epigenetic modulation (SLC6A4 promoter methylation) was identified in only two clinical trials. We call for additional research and, although knowledge gaps, we also point out the urgent need of minimizing painful procedures in NICUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neonates managed in neonatal intensive care units undergo several invasive procedures. However, neonatal procedural pain is not well recognized and managed in most neonatal units. Aims: To decrease the severity of procedural pain in preterm neonates (<37 weeks gestational age at birth), as measured by Premature Infant Pain Profile , by 50% by April 2020. Methods: A quality improvement initiative was conducted in a level 3 neonatal intensive care unit in South India. The pain was assessed independently by 2 interns not involved in clinical care using Premature Infant Pain Profile. After a baseline data recording and questionnaire assessing knowledge of healthcare personnel regarding neonatal pain, the interventions were planned. These were conducted as plan‐do‐study‐act cycles—(i) Educational sessions, (ii) Introduction of bedside visual aids, (iii) Simulation sessions demonstrating the use of nonpharmacological measures and introduction of procedure surveillance chart in daily rounds, and (iv) Video feedback‐based sessions. In the maintenance phase, the observations were continued. Results: The healthcare personnel under recognized pain related to heel pricks and endotracheal intubation. They also had poor awareness of signs and symptoms of neonatal pain. A total of 202 procedures were observed during the study period. The mean pain score decreased significantly from 12.8 ± 4.5 in baseline period to 6.2 ± 1.8 in the maintenance phase. The use of analgesic measures increased from 13% in the baseline period to 73% in the maintenance phase. The use of automated lancet for heel prick increased from 0% to 94% in maintenance phase. More and more procedures were done with appropriate environment and baby state. The mean number of procedures per day decreased from 6.5 ± 1.8 in baseline period to 2.7 ± 0.9 in the maintenance phase. Conclusions: Targeted interventions can improve neonatal procedural pain management by improving use of analgesic measures, decreasing the number of procedures, and educating and training healthcare personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the feasibility, and perform a pilot study, of a randomised clinical trial, investigating whether children experience less pain, fear and/or distress when they receive oral ibuprofen vs placebo before a needle is inserted in a subcutaneously implanted intravenous port. Methods: Twenty‐three children were included consecutively and randomised to either oral ibuprofen (n = 12) 7.5 mg/kg body weight or placebo (n = 11). The child's pain, fear and distress were reported by parents, nurses and the children (if ≥7 years of age). Feasibility criteria were defined as (a) ≥4 children included/month, (b) ≥80% of eligible patients agreed to participate, (c) >90% treated according to protocol, (d) <5% missing data, (e) s‐cortisol samples analysed in ≥90% of the children. Results: All feasibility criteria were met except recruitment and consent. Parents, nurses and children reported no trend of benefit of oral ibuprofen with regard to pain, fear and distress compared with placebo. Conclusion: The study failed to meet important feasibility criteria and was closed due to low recruitment rate and absence of trend of effect. From this data, we cannot state that ibuprofen is not helpful in needle procedures but that it seems unlikely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of incentive spirometry after coronary artery bypass graft surgery is accompanied by severe postoperative incisional pain. Consequently, pain reduction after cardiac surgery is considered the foremost postoperative care strategy. Various methods are administered to reduce or control pain effectively. One of these methods is cold application, which is considered a simple, cost efficient, and non-pharmacological pain relief method. Aim: This study aimed to determine the effect of cold application on incisional pain associated with incentive spirometry after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Methods: A crossover study design was used. Sixty eligible and consenting patients were recruited. All participants were subjected to the use of incentive spirometry with and without cold gel pack application. Subjective and objective pain assessments were undertaken before and after the use of incentive spirometry with and without cold gel pack application for two consecutive days. Results: Data analysis showed significant reduction in pain scores on pain intensity and pain distress, as well as the critical care pain observation tool (P

Objective: To assess the outcomes of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) transperineal targeted fusion biopsy (TPFBx) under local anaesthesia. Patients and Methods: We prospectively screened 1327 patients with a positive mpMRI undergoing TPFBx (targeted cores and systematic cores) under local anaesthesia, at two tertiary referral institutions, between September 2016 and May 2019, for inclusion in the present study. Primary outcomes were detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) defined as (1) International Society of Urological Pathologists (ISUP) grade >1 or ISUP grade 1 with >50% involvement of prostate cancer (PCa) in a single core or in >2 cores (D1) and (2) ISUP grade >1 PCa (D2). Secondary outcomes were: assessment of peri‐procedural pain (numerical rating scale [NRS]) and procedure timings; erectile (International Index of Erectile Function) and urinary (International Prostate Symptom Score) function changes; and complications. We also investigated the value of systematic sampling and concordance with radical prostatectomy (RP). Results: A total of 1014 patients were included, of whom csPCa was diagnosed in 39.4% (n = 400). The procedure was tolerable (NRS pain score 3.1 ± 2.3), with no impact on erectile (P = 0.45) or urinary (P = 0.58) function, and a low rate of complications (Clavien–Dindo grades 1 or 2, n = 8; grade >2, n = 0). No post‐biopsy sepsis was recorded. Twenty‐two men (95% confidence interval [CI] 17–29) needed to undergo additional systematic biopsy to diagnose one csPCa missed by targeted biopsies (D1). ISUP grade concordance of biopsies with RP was as follows: k = 0.40 (95% CI 0.31–0.49) for targeted cores alone and k = 0.65 (95% CI 0.57–0.72; P < 0.05) overall. Conclusions: The use of TPFBx under local anaesthesia yielded good csPCa detection and was feasible, quick, well tolerated and safe. Infectious risk was negligible. Addition of systematic to targeted cores may not be needed in all men, although it improves csPCa detection and concordance with RP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated procedural pain may lead to increased secretion of cortisol and future neurobehavioral development disorders in preterm infants. Changes in the cortisol level may mediate the effect of neonatal repetitive procedural pain on altered childhood neurobehavioral development in preterm infants. However, few studies have investigated the effect of combined pharmacological, behavioral, and physical interventions over repeated painful procedures on pain response, cortisol level, and neurobehavioral development. This study examined (1) the efficacy and safety of sucrose combined with massage, music, non-nutritive sucking, and gentle human touch to treat preterm infants with repeated procedural pain; (2) the cortisol level at discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU); (3) neurobehavioral development at 40 weeks' corrected gestational age; and (4) the potential mediating effect of the cortisol level in the combined interventions on neurobehavioral development. Stable preterm infants (n = 76) were randomized to receive routine care or combined interventions across repeated painful procedures throughout their NICU stay. The Premature Infant Pain Profile scores in the early, middle, and late periods of the NICU stay were measured, as were the basal salivary cortisol level at admission and discharge, the Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment score at 40 weeks' corrected gestational age, and the incidence of adverse effects during the study period. Our findings indicated that the combined interventions remained efficacious and safe for reducing repeated procedural pain, decreased the cortisol level at discharge, and promoted early neurobehavioral development in preterm infants. This effect may have been mediated through decreased cortisol levels and reduced repeated procedural pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The social context is critical to children's pain, and parents frequently form a major aspect of this context. We addressed several gaps in our understanding of parent–child interactions during painful procedures and identified intrapersonal contributions to parental affective responses and behaviors. We used the pain empathy model framework to examine parent–child interactions during venipuncture to determine predictors of parent distraction and reassurance. Aims: We examined relations among parent and child behaviors along with parent fear and child pain and fear. We empirically tested the contribution of top-down influences in predicting the use of two common parent utterances, reassurance and distraction during venipuncture, including parent beliefs about these behaviors. Methods: Venipunctures of 100 5- to 10-year-old children were filmed, and parent–child interactions were coded using the full 35 item Child Adult Medical Procedure Interaction Scale. Two codes were of particular interest: reassurance and distraction. Self-report measures included child fear and pain, parent fear, trait anxiety, empathy, pain catastrophizing, and beliefs about reassurance and distraction. Results: Findings supported original Child–Adult Medical Procedure Interaction Scale codes linking parent "distress-promoting" behaviors with poorer child outcomes and parent "coping-promoting" behaviors with improved child outcomes. Parent traits accounted for a small portion of the variance in parent reassurance and distraction. Conclusions: Findings are consistent with research on coping and distress promoting behaviors. Using a novel framework of the pain empathy model, we found that parent traits largely did not predict their procedural behaviors, which were more strongly related to child distress behaviors during the needle and parent beliefs about the behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improvement of technology in obstetrics and neonatology has resulted in an increase in the rate of preterm births and a decreased preterm mortality rate. In order to keep preterm infants alive, however, they are hospitalized for periods that can range from weeks to months, in special neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). As part of their medical care, they often undergo repetitive painful procedures at a time when their brain is developing very rapidly, with possible brain vulnerability to pain. Breakthrough research developments have generated research interest in investigating the effects of procedural pain on the brain and nervous system of preterm infants, including the possible development of neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders. Procedural pain appears to exert an adverse effect on the structural and metabolic differentiation of the brain in preterm infants, which is associated with their psychosocial and cognitive development, resulting in reduced cognitive and motor skills, and long-term problems of perception of logical reasoning, both visual and verbal, in their later life. It is necessary to implement strategies focused on reducing procedural pain from vital interventions in preterm infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neonatal pain management using sucrose has been an established practice in Western countries. However, in the developing world, the practice is still not widely accepted. Neonatal nurses' perceptions about the neonatal pain experience and efficacy of oral sucrose may influence that decision. Purpose: To investigate Jordanian neonatal nurses' perceptions about the use of oral sucrose for neonatal pain. Design and Sample: A cross-sectional descriptive design was used to collect data from 191 neonatal nurses working in 3 different hospital settings in northern and middle central Jordan. Main Outcome Variables: Knowledge and perception of Jordanian nurses about neonatal pain and oral sucrose and their relationship to demographic variables. Results: More than half of nurses had knowledge deficit about pain management. Fifty-five percent of the nurses had a positive perception toward pain assessment tools, and the majority indicated positive opinion toward oral sucrose usage. Demographic factors can impact their perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to investigate the effects of music on pain management in preterm neonates during painful procedures., Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, EBSCO and Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify relevant articles published from their inception to September 2023. The study search strategy and all other processes were implemented in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement., Results: Four RCTs that satisfied the inclusion criteria were included in this meta-analysis. The music group had significantly lower Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) scores during (RR = -1.21; 95% CI = -2.02--0.40, p  = 0.0032) and after painful procedures (RR = -0.65; 95% CI = -1.06--0.23, p  = 0.002). The music group showed fewer changes in PIPP scores after invasive operations than did the control group (RR = -2.06; 95% CI -3.16--0.96; p  = 0.0002). Moreover, our results showed that music improved oxygen saturation during (RR = 3.04, 95% CI = 1.64-4.44, p  < 0.0001) and after painful procedures (RR = 3.50, 95% CI = 2.11-4.90, p  < 0.00001). However, the change in peak heart rate during and after painful procedures was not statistically significant (RR = -12.14; 95% CI = -29.70-5.41 p  = 0.18; RR = -10.41; 95% CI = -22.72-1.90 p  = 0.10)., Conclusion: In conclusion, this systematic review demonstrated that music interventions are effective for relieving procedural pain in preterm infants. Our results indicate that music can reduce stress levels and improve blood oxygen saturation. Due to the current limitations, large-scale, prospective RCTs should be performed to validate the present results., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Ou, Chen, Zhu, Zhang, Zhou, Zou, Gao, Wang and Zheng.)

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a water-friendly Projector-Based Hybrid Virtual Reality (VR) dome environment combined with standard pharmacological treatment on pain in young children undergoing burn wound care in hydrotherapy.Methods: This study was a prospective, within-subject crossover trial of 38 children aged 6 months to 7 years old (mean age=1.8 years old). Each hydrotherapy procedure was divided into two equivalent wound care segments (No hybrid VR during one segment vs. Hybrid VR during the other segment, treatment order was randomized). Pain was measured using the 0-10 FLACC (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry Consolability scale) and the 0-10 NRS-obs (Numerical Rating Scale-obs).Results: Projector-Based Hybrid VR significantly reduced procedural pain levels measured by the FLACC (p=0.026) and significantly increased patients' comfort levels (p=0.002). Patients' pain levels rated by the nurses using the NRS-obs were non-significant between both groups (p=0.135). No side effects were reported.Conclusion: Projector-Based Hybrid VR helped in reducing the pain related to hydrotherapy procedures in young children with burn wound injuries. This is the first study using virtual reality distraction with young children, and our findings are especially important because a large percentage of pediatric burn patients are very young. Additional research and development are recommended.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02986464, registered on June 12, 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinicians routinely perform bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (BMAB) to diagnose cancer and evaluate disease status; however, few studies address pain and distress with BMAB. A prospective descriptive–correlational design examined patients' (N = 152) ratings of pain intensity (numeric rating scale, 0-10) and distress (distress thermometer) at baseline and 5 min and 1 hr postprocedure. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, and linear regression models. Mean postprocedure pain intensity at 5 min was moderate, 5.56 (SD = 3.03), and opioid use was associated with decreased pain at 1 hr (p <.001). Preprocedure administration of anxiolytics had no significant effect on distress reduction (p =.88). Being female, first-time biopsy, and increased preprocedure pain were significant predictors of postprocedure distress (p <.001). Treating anxiety alone may not be sufficient to lessen pain and distress. Individualized plans of care should be based on patient risk and response to procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distraction is a method that is easy to use in emergency departments and effective in relieving procedural pain and anxiety. This study aimed to determine the effect of 2 new distraction methods—1 active distraction (rotatable wooden toy) and 1 passive distraction (toy wristband)—on procedural pain, fear, and anxiety in children during venous blood sampling. This study was a randomized controlled experimental study. The sample consisted of 216 children aged 6 years to 12 years. They were divided into 3 groups using the block randomization procedure: active distraction group (n = 72); passive distraction group (n = 72); and control group (n = 72). The levels of pain and anxiety in the children were measured before and during the blood sampling by the children themselves, their parents, and the researcher using the Visual Analog Scale, the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale, and the Children's Fear Scale. The children and their parents included in the control and experimental groups had similar sociodemographic characteristics. The active distraction group had lower levels of procedural pain, fear, and anxiety than the other groups (children's visual analog scale score, F = 134.22; P < 0.05; Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale score, F = 137.54; P < 0.001; and Children's Fear Scale score, F = 92.44; P < 0.001). Both the toy wristband and rotatable wooden toy interventions can be used to reduce procedural pain, fear, and anxiety in children during blood sampling in emergency departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units are inevitably subjected to numerous painful procedures. However, little is known about the consequences of early pain experience on fear memory formation later in life. We hypothesized that exposure to repetitive pain in early life triggered hippocampal synaptic plasticity and resulted in memory deficiency in prepubertal and adult rats. From the day of birth (P0) to postnatal day 7 (P7), neonatal male rat pups were randomly assigned to either needle pricks or tactile touches repetitively every 6 h. Trace fear conditioning was performed on rats on P24–P26 and P87–P89. On P24 and P87, rats were sacrificed for molecular and electrophysiological studies. On P24–26 and P87–89, rats that experienced neonatal needle treatment showed a significant reduction in freezing time in the contextual fear conditioning (P < 0.05) and trace fear conditioning tests (P < 0.05). Moreover, repetitive neonatal procedural pain caused a significant decrease in the magnitude of hippocampal long-term potentiation induced by high-frequency stimulation. Furthermore, rats that experienced neonatal needle treatment demonstrated sustained downregulation of NR1, NR2A, NR2B, and GluR1 expression in the hippocampus. Therefore, neonatal pain is related to deficits in hippocampus-related fear memory later in life and might be caused by impairments in hippocampal synaptic plasticity.

Keith M Porter,1 Anthony D Dayan,2 Sara Dickerson,3 Paul M Middleton4,5 1Trauma Department, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK; 2Independent Consultant, London, UK; 3Medical Affairs, Mundipharma International Limited, Cambridge, UK; 4Emergency Medicine Research Unit, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 5Distributed Research in Emergency and Acute Medicine (DREAM) Collaboration, Sydney, NSW, Australia Abstract: Methoxyflurane is an inhaled analgesic administered via a disposable inhaler which has been used in Australia for over 40 years for the management of pain associated with trauma and for medical procedures in children and adults. Now available in 16 countries worldwide, it is licensed in Europe for moderate to severe pain associated with trauma in conscious adults, although additional applications are being made to widen the range of approved indications. Considering these ongoing developments, we reviewed the available evidence on clinical usage and safety of inhaled analgesic methoxyflurane in trauma pain and in medical procedures in both adults and children. Published data on methoxyflurane in trauma and procedural pain show it to be effective, well tolerated, and highly rated by patients, providing rapid onset of analgesia. Methoxyflurane has a well-established safety profile; adverse events are usually brief and self-limiting, and no clinically significant effects on vital signs or consciousness levels have been reported. Nephrotoxicity previously associated with methoxyflurane at high anesthetic doses is not reported with low analgesic doses. Although two large retrospective comparative studies in the prehospital setting showed inhaled analgesic methoxyflurane to be less effective than intravenous morphine and intranasal fentanyl, this should be balanced against the administration, supervision times, and safety profile of these agents. Given the limitations of currently available analgesic agents in the prehospital and emergency department settings, the ease of use and portability of methoxyflurane combined with its rapid onset of effective pain relief and favorable safety profile make it a useful nonopioid option for pain management. Except for the STOP! study, which formed the basis for approval in trauma pain in Europe, and a few smaller randomized controlled trials (RCTs), much of the available data are observational or retrospective, and further RCTs are currently underway to provide more robust data. Keywords: analgesia, clinical safety, Penthrox, procedural pain, review, trauma

Abstract Background Children experience multiple painful procedures when being cared for in emergency departments (EDs). Unfortunately, evidence-based interventions to manage such pain and distress are under-utilized across EDs. Caregivers are uniquely positioned and invested to advocate for the adaptation of such evidence into practice. Our objective was to gather information from caregivers of children experiencing procedural pain in the ED to inform the development of a novel, caregiver-focused knowledge translation (KT) tool. Methods The study design was qualitative description. Caregivers of children who underwent intravenous (IV) insertion or venipuncture in the pediatric ED at an urban tertiary care centre were interviewed. Thematic analysis was applied to the data. The TRanslating Emergency Knowledge for Kids (TREKK) Parent Advisory Group continuously informed this study, and provided input on interview guide development and piloting, data collection, analysis of the data, interpretation of the results, and development of next steps. Results Interviews revealed four major themes: 1) source of healthcare information; 2) delivering healthcare information; 3) communication with caregivers; and 4) procedure-related anxiety and long-term effects. Caregivers most valued receiving information directly from their healthcare provider. They also expressed that healthcare providers should direct information about the procedure to their child and identified strategies to involve children in their care. Caregivers wanted to be empowered to ask informed questions of their healthcare providers. Finally, caregivers reported negative experiences with procedures for their children, occurring mainly at non-pediatric centres. Conclusions We have identified core information needs for caregivers whose children are experiencing IV insertion or venipuncture. These results will form the foundation for the development of a KT tool that may empower caregivers to actively participate in their child’s healthcare.

Abstract Background The emergency department (ED) setting is an environment where children may experience intense physical pain and emotional stress. This study sought to determine the availability of pain and anxiety management practices in all Israeli emergency departments which accept children, specifically looking for differences between accredited pediatric emergency medicine departments and others. Methods A cross-sectional survey of all Israeli emergency departments that accept children was performed. One person at each institution was approached to complete the survey. Data were collected between May and June 2016 using an electronic survey tool. Results Responses were collected from 21 of 22 hospitals (95% response rate). Commonly available in all types of emergency departments were nurse ordered analgesia, medical clowns (in 95% of the hospitals), topical analgesia and oral sucrose solution. The accredited pediatric emergency medicine departments showed a tendency for more frequent use of all pharmacologic methods for pain and anxiety relief, specifically oxycodone and ketamine. Conclusions Overall, Israeli emergency departments have similar access to pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic pain and anxiety management strategies in children, but gaps still exist, especially where not all attending physicians are pediatric emergency medicine trained. We suggest that certified pediatric emergency medicine physicians should advise all emergency departments that accept children to promote the use of the various methods of pain and anxiety reduction.

Background: Painful procedures are unavoidable in the medical care of preterm babies. The unpleasant experience during the neonatal period may contribute to hyperalgesia and poor neurodevelopment outcome later. Seeking effective interventions to reduce pain are strongly indicated for these very small premature babies. The aim of this study is to investigate if instilling breast milk (BM) or dextrose water into oral cavity can reduce the procedural pain of heel stick for preterm babies. Methods: This is a prospective study; 20 premature neonates are enrolled. Each study case received heel stick 4 times. BM, 10% dextrose water (D10W), distilled water (placebo) and nothing (control group) were given one after the other in random order to the same patient before heel stick. Premature infant pain profile (PIPP) was used to assess the pain scores. The whole process consisted of 4 sections: a baseline period for 1 min, intervention period for 1 min, heel stick period for 20 s, and recovery period for 5 min. The primary outcome is to compare the PIPP scores in the 4 groups. Results: Totally 20 babies completed this study. Median gestational age was 32 weeks 2 days (26 weeks 4 days–35 weeks 6 days) and median birth body weight was 1596 g (766–2435 g). The median PIPP scores and interquartile range at each time period were listed in the context. There are significant differences between BM/control group at all time periods, between BM/placebo group at 30–60 s, 1–2 min, and 2–3 min, and between D10W/control group at 0–30 s, 30–60 s, 3–4 min, and 4–5 min. There are no significant differences between BM/D10W, D10W/placebo, and placebo/control groups at any time periods. Conclusion: Giving something with taste such as BM or D10W is safe and effective in reducing the procedural pain of heel stick in preterm neonates; BM is the priority.

Background: Intubated and mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) may experience pain during routine oral procedures such as oral suctioning and tooth brushing. Despite the importance of pain prevention and management, little is known about patients' experiences of procedural oral pain. Aims: The aim of this study was to explore patients' recollections and recommendations for pain and discomfort during routine oral procedures. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Adult patients were recruited from a mixed medical–surgical–trauma ICU in an academic hospital in Toronto, Canada. Participants were interviewed using object elicitation methods within 7 days of discharge from the ICU. Data were analyzed using directed content analysis methods. Results: We recruited 33 participants who were primarily male (23, 70%), with an average age of 54 (SD = 18) years, admitted with a medical (13, 39%), trauma (11, 33%), or surgical (9, 27%) diagnosis and dentate (27, 82%). Most participants described oral procedures as painful, discomforting, and emotionally distressing. Identified sources of pain included dry, inflamed oral tissues and procedural technique. Procedural pain behaviors were perceived to be frequently misinterpreted by clinicians as agitation, with consequences including physical restraint and unrelieved suffering. Participants advocated for greater frequency of oral care to prevent oral health deterioration, anticipatory procedural guidance, and structured pain assessment to mitigate the dehumanizing experience of unmanaged pain. Conclusions: Patients described routine oral care procedures as painful and recalled suboptimal management of such pain. Procedural oral pain is an important target for practice improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore nurse and physician leaders' perceptions of barriers and facilitators to using evidence-based procedural pain treatments (i.e., sweet solutions, breastfeeding, and topical anesthetics) for hospitalized infants and children in the Chinese context. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted at three pediatric inpatient surgical units in one hospital in China. Purposive sampling was used to recruit nurse/physician leaders who were engaged in the clinical management of the 3 units. Data collection included a focus group and individual interviews. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used to guide the analysis of the data. Ten participants attended the focus group and 13 took part in individual interviews. The findings highlight 41 implementation determinants, including two neutral influencing factors, 22 barriers, and 17 facilitators. These influencing factors aligned with the four CFIR domains and 25 of the 29 CFIR constructs. Common barriers to using evidence-based pain treatments across different contexts were identified, such as health care professionals' limited knowledge and misconceptions on pediatric pain management, no specific policies, low priority, heavy workload, staff shortage, and limited time. Unique determinants in the Chinese context were also identified, including parents' concerns of these new interventions, parent wrath, hierarchical managerial system, and lower authority of nurses. Multiple barriers as well as facilitators to using evidence-based pain management strategies were identified. The findings inform further development of implementation strategies and could be used as baseline data for comparing the barriers and facilitators evaluated during and after implementation. • Forty-one determinants to using procedural pain treatments in infants and children were identified. • Previously known common barriers/facilitators to pediatric pain management are confirmed. • Unique determinants related to parents, organizational structures, culture were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Implementation of Infant Pain Practice (ImPaC) Resource is an eHealth tool designed to support infant pain practice change and ultimately enhance pain outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine users' perspectives on usability, acceptability, and feasibility of the ImPaC Resource. A descriptive prospective mixed‐methods quality improvement study was conducted at a pediatric hospital in Canada. Individual "think aloud" interviews were conducted in a nonclinical environment (Phase A); "near live" testing was conducted while users interacted with the Resource in clinical setting (Phase B); individual "think‐aloud" interviews were conducted in a nonclinical environment (Phase C). Outcomes included usability (System Usability Scale—SUS), acceptability (Acceptability E‐Scale—AES), and feasibility. Interview transcripts were coded per a priori themes using deductive content analysis to create a structured categorization matrix. In Phase A, 10 clinicians interacted with the Resource in individual sessions. Median SUS score was 73.75 (range 52.5‐92.5). In Phase B, four clinicians implemented the Resource in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) over 4 months. Median SUS score was 85 (82.5‐92.5), and median AES score was 24 (21‐24). In Phase C, an enhanced prototype was produced, and the same users from Phase B navigated the Resource in individual sessions. Median SUS score was 88.75 (85‐95), and median AES score was 27.5 (25‐29). Users considered the Resource as feasible for implementation, easy to navigate, engaging, intuitive, comprehensive, and evidence‐based. Users highlighted the potential transferability of the Resource to other contexts and settings. The enhanced version of the ImPaC Resource was usable, acceptable, feasible, and met users' expectations and requirements. Results lead the way for evaluation of the Resource in a nationwide cluster randomized trial including 18 NICUs. This knowledge‐rich platform is expected to enhance infant pain practices and outcomes in diverse clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During hospitalization, neonates are exposed to a stressful environment and a high number of painful procedures. If pain is not treated adequately, short‐ and long‐term complications may develop. Despite evidence about neonatal pain and available guidelines, procedural pain remains undertreated. This gap between research and practice is mostly due to limited implementation of evidence‐based knowledge and time constraints. This study describes in detail the development process of a complex interprofessional intervention to improve the management of procedural pain in neonates called NEODOL© (NEOnato DOLore). The framework of the Medical Research Council (MRC) for the development and evaluation of complex interventions was used as a methodological guide for the design of the NEODOL© intervention. The development of the intervention is based on several steps and multiple methods. To report this process, we used the Criteria for Reporting the Development of Complex Interventions in Healthcare (CReDECI 2). Additionally, we evaluated the content of the intervention using a Delphi method to obtain consensus from experts, stakeholders, and parents. The complex interprofessional intervention, NEODOL©, is developed and designed for three groups: healthcare professionals, parents, and neonates for a level IIb neonatal unit at a regional hospital in southern Switzerland. A total of 16 panelists participated in the Delphi process. At the end of the Delphi process, the panelists endorsed the NEODOL© intervention as important and feasible. Following the MRC guidelines, a multimethod process was used to develop a complex interprofessional intervention to improve the management of painful procedures in newborns. Complex interprofessional interventions need theoretical bases, careful development, and integration of stakeholders to provide a comprehensive approach. The NEODOL intervention consists of promising components and has the potential to improve the management of painful procedures and should facilitate the knowledge translation into practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Virtual reality (VR) may enhance the effectiveness of psychological interventions for acute pain. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of VR-based interventions for pain associated with medical procedures. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO until June 17th 2018. We identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs), comparing VR-based psychological interventions to usual care, for pain intensity (primary outcome) or affective and cognitive components of pain (secondary outcomes), assessed real-time or retrospectively. Two independent reviewers performed study selection and data extraction. Risk of bias was independently evaluated by three raters using the revised Cochrane Collaboration tool. A random-effects model using the Paule and Mandel estimator was used for pooling effect sizes. Results: 27 RCTs (1452 patients) provided enough data for meta-analysis. Compared to usual care, VR-based interventions reduced pain intensity both real-time (9 RCTs, Hedges' g = 0.95, 95% CI 0.32–1.57) and retrospectively (22 RCTs, g = 0.87, 95% CI 0.54–1.21). Results were similar for cognitive (8 RCTs, g = 0.82, 95% CI 0.39–1.26) and affective pain components (14 RCTs, g = 0.55, 95% CI 0.34–0.77). There was marked heterogeneity, which remained similarly high in sensitivity analyses. Across domains, few trials were rated as low risk of bias and there was evidence of publication bias. Adverse events were rare. Conclusions: Though VR-based interventions reduced pain for patients undergoing medical procedures, inferring clinical effectiveness is precluded by the predominance of small trials, with substantial risk of bias, and by incomplete reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: There is a wide variance in neonatal and pediatric vascular access workforce models, training, and competency assessments. Pain control during procedures is critical for children, yet it is not consistently used. Procedural support has shown improved patient outcomes, yet is not standardly used for every distressful procedure. Core standards are needed to ensure proper training and support for the pediatric and neonatal vascular access clinicians. Background: Despite evidence to support best practice in neonatal and pediatric venipuncture delivery and procedural support, there are inconsistencies in practice. To inform future research, education, and workforce innovation, the Association for Vascular Access Pediatric Special Interest Group (PediSIG) developed and undertook a survey to describe the current vascular access practice for clinicians caring for neonatal and pediatric patients. Objective: Describe the current state of workforce models, training, and clinical practices surrounding pediatric and neonatal vascular access. Design: Cross-sectional, electronic survey using convenience sampling. Settings: International clinicians who provide vascular access (peripheral intravenous catheter insertion, venipuncture for blood sampling) for neonatal and pediatric patients. Methods: An electronic survey was developed by the PediSIG. The survey covered workforce models, clinician training and competency, pain relief, procedural support, and device securement. The electronic survey was then distributed to the PediSIG membership and shared among several neonatal/pediatric email lists. Data were analyzed descriptively, with an exploration of association between clinical outcomes, workforce, and training. Results: There were 242 responses from 5 countries showing a wide variance of practice. Workforce models showed many different team names and responsibilities along with a variance of personnel and staffing hours. Clinician training was described as 4 hours or less by 44% (n = 69) of respondents. Less than half of the responses (47%; n = 99) reported having a formal procedure to escalate a patient to an expert care and not having a set number of max attempts before escalation. Only two-thirds (n = 115) of respondents said they had a standardized protocol for pain control and procedural support, with only 13% (n = 23) and 15% (n = 27), respectively, self-reporting that they always followed the protocol. Conclusions: The respondents reported a wide variance in neonatal and pediatric vascular access procedures and the resources used to support this practice. Core standards need to be developed to help guide neonatal and pediatric clinicians and their institutions. The standards should encompass recommendations for workforce models, proper training, competency, insertion guidelines, pain control, [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore descriptors of difficulty accessing the mouths of intubated and mechanically ventilated adults for oral care, consequences, modifiable antecedents and recommendations for improving care delivery. Background: Nurses report oral access and care delivery difficulty in most mechanically ventilated patients. Design: A prospective qualitative descriptive design. Methods: Data were collected using video and photographic elicitation interviews focused on delivery of oral care. Directed content analysis was used to explore descriptive categories. Reporting used the SRQR guidelines. Setting and participants: A university‐affiliated hospital in Toronto, Canada. Participants included clinicians experienced in accessing the oral space of adults representing nursing, medicine, dentistry and allied health professionals. Findings: We recruited 18 participants; 9 representing critical care and 9 other specialties frequently accessing the mouth, that is dentistry. Descriptors for observed difficulty accessing the oral cavity were "oral crowding with tubes" and "aversive patient responses", which were considered to result in insufficient oral care. Participants perceived aversive patient responses (e.g. biting, turning head side to side, gagging, coughing) as a consequence of forced introduction of instruments inside a crowded mouth. A key finding identified by participants was the observation of substantial procedural pain during oral care interventions. Potentially modifiable antecedents to difficult oral care delivery identified were procedural pain, oral health deterioration (e.g. xerostomia) and lack of interprofessional team problem‐solving. Recommendations to address these antecedents included patient preparation for oral care through verbal and nonverbal cueing, pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies, and ICU interprofessional education. Conclusions: Oral care in mechanically ventilated adults is complex and painful. Visual research methods offer important advantages for oral care exploration including its ability to reveal less visible aspects of the nurse–patient encounter, thereby enabling novel insights and care. Relevance for clinical practice: Interprofessional education and training in oral health and care interventions tailored to mechanically ventilated patients are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite evidence to support best practice in neonatal and pediatric venipuncture delivery and procedural support, there are inconsistencies in practice. To inform future research, education, and workforce innovation, the Association for Vascular Access Pediatric Special Interest Group (PediSIG) developed and undertook a survey to describe the current vascular access practice for clinicians caring for neonatal and pediatric patients. Objective: Describe the current state of workforce models, training, and clinical practices surrounding pediatric and neonatal vascular access. Design: Cross-sectional, electronic survey using convenience sampling. Settings: International clinicians who provide vascular access (peripheral intravenous catheter insertion, venipuncture for blood sampling) for neonatal and pediatric patients. Methods: An electronic survey was developed by the PediSIG. The survey covered workforce models, clinician training and competency, pain relief, procedural support, and device securement. The electronic survey was then distributed to the PediSIG membership and shared among several neonatal/pediatric email lists. Data were analyzed descriptively, with an exploration of association between clinical outcomes, workforce, and training. Results: There were 242 responses from 5 countries showing a wide variance of practice. Workforce models showed many different team names and responsibilities along with a variance of personnel and staffing hours. Clinician training was described as 4 hours or less by 44% (n = 69) of respondents. Less than half of the responses (47%; n = 99) reported having a formal procedure to escalate a patient to an expert care and not having a set number of max attempts before escalation. Only two-thirds (n = 115) of respondents said they had a standardized protocol for pain control and procedural support, with only 13% (n = 23) and 15% (n = 27), respectively, selfreporting that they always followed the protocol. Conclusions: The respondents reported a wide variance in neonatal and pediatric vascular access procedures and the resources used to support this practice. Core standards need to be developed to help guide neonatal and pediatric clinicians and their institutions. The standards should encompass recommendations for workforce models, proper training, competency, insertion guidelines, pain control, procedural support, and access to vascular access specialists to provide the best care for every neonate and child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AUTH Background: Pain associated with invasive medical procedures is a significant cause of anxiety for parents. This may increase children's anxiety, pain and fear. Aim: To determine the anxiety perceived by parents of children undergoing intravenous cannulation and the influence of parental anxiety on the intensity of pain experienced, and to explore the association between selected variables and anxiety perceived by parents. Method: A descriptive correlational approach was adopted and a purposive sample of 48 children and their parents was selected. The pilot study was conducted in the children's wards of a selected hospital in Mumbai, India, between August 2017 and January 2018. Parental anxiety was assessed using the short version of the Depression and Anxiety Stress Scales. Pain experienced by children was assessed using the Faces Pain Scale-Revised. Results: Mild anxiety was experienced by 6% (n=6) of parents, while 52% (n=25) had moderate to extreme anxiety. More than one third of the children (35%, n=17) reported moderate pain and 31% (n=15) reported severe pain. A positive correlation was found between pain and parental anxiety and between parental anxiety and age and birth order. Conclusion: Parental anxiety influences the perception of pain in children. Parents should be made aware of how their anxiety can affect children's pain experiences during medical procedures and take measures to reduce anxiety, such as relaxation, distraction and deep breathing. Children's nurses can help parents manage preprocedural anxiety to reduce the traumatic effect on children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with cancer often undergo long treatment trajectories involving repeated needle procedures that potentially cause pain and distress. As part of a comprehensive effort to develop clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to address pain prevention and management in children with cancer, we aimed to provide recommendations on the pharmacological and psychological management of procedure-related pain and distress. Of the international inter-disciplinary CPG development panel (44 individuals), two working groups including 13 healthcare professionals focused on procedural pain and distress. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology was used, including the use of systematic literature reviews to inform recommendations and the use of evidence to decision frameworks. At an in-person meeting in February 2018, the guideline panel discussed these frameworks and formulated recommendations which were then discussed with a patient-parent panel consisting of 4 survivors and 5 parents. The systematic reviews led to the inclusion of 48 randomised controlled trials (total number of participants = 2271). Quality of evidence supporting the recommendations ranged from very low to moderate. Strong recommendations were made for the use of topical anesthetics in all needle procedures, for offering deep sedation (DS)/general anesthesia (GA) to all children undergoing lumbar puncture, for the use of DS/ GA in major procedures in children of all ages, for the use of hypnosis in all needle procedures and for the use of active distraction in all needle procedures. In this CPG, an evidence-based approach to manage procedure-related pain and distress in children with cancer is presented. As children with cancer often undergo repeated needle procedures during treatment, prevention and alleviation of procedure-related pain and distress is of the utmost importance to increase quality of life in these children and their families. • Children with cancer are often confronted with procedure-related pain and distress. • This clinical practice guideline provides recommendations to manage this. • Both pharmacological and psychological management strategies are discussed. • The international interdisciplinary panel adhered to Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To develop an evidence-based decision aid for parents of children with cancer and to help guide them in the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for cancer care.Methods: This study had a mixed research design. The needs of parents were investigated by survey and focus group. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed on the effectiveness of CAM using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Clinical experts were interviewed and a decision aid on CAM treatment for pain was developed.Results: Parents emphasized the importance of reliable information on CAM, focusing primarily on communication and a broad spectrum of complaints related to cancer treatment. The decision aid on CAM for pain included five modalities based on 11 randomized control trials (RCTs): hypnotherapy, mind-body techniques, massage, healing touch, and music therapy. Meta-analysis could be performed on hypnotherapy, which significantly reduced cancer-related procedural pain compared with standard care (MD, - 1.37; 95% CI, - 1.60, - 1.15; P < 0.00001) and attention control (MD, - 1.13; 95% CI, - 1.34, - 0.94; P < 0.00001), and massage, demonstrating no effect on pain compared with standard care (MD, - 0.77; 95% CI, - 1.82, 0.28; P = 0.15). Research evidence and supplementary information from clinical practice and patient were incorporated in a website-based decision aid.Conclusions: An evidence-based decision aid was developed to support parents of children with cancer in making decisions about CAM for pain management. Next steps will be to expand the website to include additional childhood cancer-related complaints and to evaluate its use in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the efficacy of orally administered 10% dextrose, breast milk and sterile water on pain prevention during screening examination for Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm neonates as measured by Premature infant pain profile (PIPP).Methods: A three-limbed double-blinded randomized control trial was conducted in a Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit. Forty five preterm neonates undergoing ROP screening were included. Eligible babies were randomly assigned to one of the three groups that orally received either expressed breast milk (n = 14), 10% dextrose solution (n = 14) or sterile water (n = 17), one minute before eye examination. The outcome measure was PIPP score.Results: All 3 groups were similar in baseline characteristics. The mean PIPP scores were comparable (p = 0.18) in the three groups (11.8 ± 2.8 vs. 9.8 ± 3.3 vs. 10.2 ± 2.9). The behavioral and physiological variables were also similar across all three groups.Conclusions: Expressed breast milk, 10% dextrose or sterile water administered orally before ROP screening in preterm neonates have similar analgesic effects and do not significantly alleviate pain during the procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of this study was to describe the occurrence of neonatal procedural pain and explore the factors that influence the frequency of painful procedures. Design: A descriptive prospective epidemiologic study. Setting: NICU at a general hospital in China. Methods: A demographic and diagnosis or illness information questionnaire and an occurrence of procedural pain questionnaire specifically designed for this study were used to record the current status of neonatal procedural pain. The neonatal infant pain scale (NIPS) was used to measure pain intensity. A multiple linear regression model was used to explore the factors influencing the frequency of painful procedures. Results: One hundred and twenty neonates experienced a total of 16,840 painful procedures. Each neonate was exposed to a median (IQR) of 66.5(27,154.75) painful procedures during hospitalization and a median (IQR) of 13(11, 19) painful procedures. All 27 different procedures were considered painful, and 70.37% (19/27) of these procedures caused severe pain. Overall, the mean NIPS score of the 27 procedures was 5.04 ± 1.52 with a range from 0 to 7. Respiratory support, age, and length of hospital stay were factors influencing the frequency of painful procedures. Conclusions: NICU neonates experience pain at a high frequency and intensity during hospitalization. Respiratory support, age, and length of hospital stay were factors influencing the frequency of painful procedures. Strategies are needed to bridge the gap between practice and the evidence‐based guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objectives were to evaluate the intensity of pain perceived 24 hours following insertion of fixed orthodontic appliance components i-e separators, bands and brackets. Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted at a Dental College in Karachi (July 2017-March 2018) investigated the amount of pain perceived during different stages of fixed orthodontic treatment. The inclusion criteria were healthy individuals without systemic disease, age 13-26 years, fixed orthodontic treatment candidates having healthy permanent first molars. The exclusion criteria were missing permanent first molars, patients requiring brass wire separators instead of elastomeric separators and molar tubes instead of bands, ongoing or previous periodontal disease and syndromic patients. Pain intensity was assessed in ninety eight patients using a Numeric Rating scale (NRS) at baseline (T0) before insertion, and 24 hours after insertion (T1) of a component. This procedure was repeated six times, twice each for separators, bands and brackets. Scoring was done on the NRS from 0 to 10 where 0 indicated no pain and 10 indicated worst pain possible. Results: A significant difference in perceived pain was found between baseline and after 24 hours of placement of all components (P-value 0.000). Odds ratio indicated that males were at a greater risk to feel pain than females at baseline and after 24 hours of insertion of all components. Mann-Whitney U test showed that the most painful components at baseline were bands (Mean value=0.56) and after 24 hours were brackets (Mean value 6.25). Conclusions: Significant increase in pain was noted 24 hours after insertion of separators, bands and brackets. The most painful components were bands at baseline and brackets after 24 hours of insertion. There were no significant variations in pain perception based on age. However, males perceived higher pain than females both at baseline and after 24 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All infants experience pain in early life from procedures. Parents recognize pain as a prevalent issue, reporting a strong desire for more information on infant pain. The aim of this study was to explore and map the current evidence of parent-targeted educational interventions about infant pain, delivered throughout the perinatal period. Records were identified in PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and ERIC databases and hand searching recent publications in 3 relevant journals. Records in English that described or evaluated educational interventions on infant pain management aimed at parents during the perinatal period were eligible for review and those not related to pain or aimed at healthcare providers were excluded. Evaluation was completed following the Methodology for JBI Scoping Reviews and standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Initial search yielded 6946 records, with 9 included in analysis. Six studies were quantitative, 2 qualitative, and 1 mixed methods. Included interventions contained information about parent-led pain management strategies for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (n = 4), full term (n = 4) , or both (n = 1). Despite being an area of high concern for parents of newborns, few studies addressed parent-targeted education regarding infant pain. Future research examining the impact and efficacy of these interventions addressing parental and neonatal outcomes is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Universidade Estadual Paulista. Revista de Odontologia is the property of Universidade Estadual Paulista. Revista de Odontologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Pain relief in the intensive care unit (ICU) is of particular concern since patients are exposed to multiple painful stimuli associated with care procedures. Considering the adverse effects of pharmacological approaches, particularly in vulnerable populations such as the elderly, the use of non-pharmacological interventions has recently been recommended in the context of critical care. The main goal of this scoping review was to systematically map the research done on non-pharmacological interventions for pain management in ICU adults and describe the characteristics of these interventions. A wide variety of non-pharmacological interventions have been tested, with music and massage therapies being the most frequently used. An interesting new trend is the use of combined or bundle interventions. Lastly, it was observed that these interventions have not been studied in specific subgroups, such as the elderly, women, and patients unable to self-report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to determine if listening to music and watching cartoons are effective to distract children from pain and distress during procedures in the emergency room (ER).Methods: This study is a single-center, 3-armed, superiority randomized controlled trial comparing listening to music, watching cartoons, and standard care during ER procedures in children aged 3-13 years. The primary outcome was pain measured from video footage with the Alder Hey Triage Pain Score (AHTPS). Children older than 4 years self-reported pain with the Faces Pain Scale-Revised (FPS-R). The secondary outcome was distress measured with the Observational Scale of Behavioral Distress-revised (OSBD-r). Another indicator of distress was heart rate.Results: Data of 191 participants were analyzed for the 3 groups: music (n = 75), cartoon (n = 62), and control (n = 54). The median age was 7.3 years (4.9-9.7). In multivariable analysis, pain assessed with the AHTPS was significantly lower (B = -1.173, 95% confidence interval -1.953, -0.394, p = .003) in the music group than in the control groups. Across the 3 groups, 108 children self-reported pain with the FPS-R after the procedure. The scores were lowest in the music group, but the differences between groups were not significant (p = .077). OSBD-r distress scores assigned during the procedures were not significantly different between the 3 groups (p = .55). Heart rate directly after the procedure was not statistically significantly different between the 3 groups (p = .83).Conclusions: Listening to recorded music is a beneficial distraction for children experiencing pain during ER procedures, whereas watching cartoons did not seem to reduce pain or distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]