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Background: Nonpharmacological methods such as white noise and therapeutic touch can be used in pain management in neonates. Purpose: This randomized controlled study evaluated the effects of white noise and therapeutic touch during heel lance procedures on pain, comfort levels, and physiological parameters in healthy neonates. Methods: This parallel, randomized controlled study was conducted in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Service of a regional hospital. The sample comprised 160 neonates with gestational ages of >35 weeks randomly assigned to 4 groups (white noise [WN], therapeutic touch [TT], white noise + therapeutic touch [WT], and control [CG] group). Pain and comfort levels were evaluated according to the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale, and the COMFORTneo Scale. The primary outcomes were pain and comfort levels, and the secondary outcomes were heart rate and SpO2 levels. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the scale scores among groups. Results: There were significant differences among groups in terms of Neonatal Infant Pain Scale and COMFORTneo scores (P < .05). The pain scores for the white noise, therapeutic touch, and white noise + therapeutic touch groups were 4.2 ± 2.0, 5.2 ± 1.6, and 3.3 ± 1.7, respectively. There was a significant difference in average heart rate during the heel lance procedure among the groups (P < .05). Pain scores of the intervention groups were lower compared to the control group. Implications for Practice and Research: The combination of white noise and therapeutic touch was more effective in reducing pain and increasing comfort levels. Nurses could reduce procedural pain by applying these pain relief methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the effect of mechanical vibration and the ShotBlocker® device on pain level, crying time, and procedure time during a heel lance in healthy term neonates. A total of 105 healthy-term neonates were randomized into three groups: control (n = 36), mechanical vibration (n = 33), and ShotBlocker® (n = 36). The control group underwent a routine heel lance procedure. The neonates in the mechanical vibration group received mechanical vibration to the extremity for 30 s before the heel was lanced. For the ShotBlocker® group, a ShotBlocker® was placed on the area where the heel lance procedure would occur and the heel was lanced. The heel lance procedure was videotaped, and the neonates' pain scores at 1 min before, 2 min after, and 5 min after the procedure, crying time, and procedure duration were recorded and were evaluated by two independent raters. Data were evaluated using the chi-square test and analysis of variance. The analysis of variance, Bonferroni, Dunnett T3 analysis, and effect size were used in the analyses of repeated measures. The study was approved by an ethics committee. Informed consent was obtained from parents. The pain level of the neonates in the mechanical vibration group was lower than those of the control and ShotBlocker® group during and at 2 min and 5 min after the procedure (F = 12.063, p = 0.000; F = 4.580, p = 0.012; and F = 6.145, p = 0.003, respectively). The duration of neonate crying time in the mechanical vibration group was lower than in the control and ShotBlocker® groups (F = 4.598, p = 0.012). The heel lance duration was similar in the groups (F = 1.369, p = 0.259). Mechanical vibration is an effective method to reduce the pain level and crying time associated with heel lance procedures in neonates. This study provides evidence to nurses that the ShotBlocker is not an effective method for reducing pain associated with the heel lance procedure but that mechanical vibration is an effective method. Clinical trials registration : The study was registered at Clinical-Trials.gov (NCT06380556). • Mechanical vibration is an effective method that can reduce the level of pain associated with the heel lance procedure. • ShotBlocker is not an effective method that can reduce the level of pain associated with the heel lance procedure. • Mechanical vibration can be safely used in neonates to reduce the pain level associated with the heel lance procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit undergo frequent painful procedures. It is essential to reduce pain using safe and feasible methods. Purpose To evaluate the effects of non-nutritional sucking, mother’s voice, or non-nutritional sucking combined with mother’s voice on repeated procedural pain in hospitalized neonates. Methods A quasi-experimental study was conducted in which 141 neonates were selected in a hospital in Changsha, China. Newborns were divided into four groups: non-nutritional sucking (NNS) (n = 35), maternal voice (MV) (n = 35), NNS + MV (n = 34), and control (n = 37) groups. The Preterm Infant Pain Profile-Revised Scale (PIPP-R) was used to assess pain. Results During the heel prick, the heart rate value and blood oxygen saturation were significantly different between the groups (P

Background: Neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit undergo frequent painful procedures. It is essential to reduce pain using safe and feasible methods. Purpose: To evaluate the effects of non-nutritional sucking, mother's voice, or non-nutritional sucking combined with mother's voice on repeated procedural pain in hospitalized neonates. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in which 141 neonates were selected in a hospital in Changsha, China. Newborns were divided into four groups: non-nutritional sucking (NNS) (n = 35), maternal voice (MV) (n = 35), NNS + MV (n = 34), and control (n = 37) groups. The Preterm Infant Pain Profile-Revised Scale (PIPP-R) was used to assess pain. Results: During the heel prick, the heart rate value and blood oxygen saturation were significantly different between the groups (P < 0.05). Both non-nutritional sucking and maternal voice significantly reduced PIPP-R pain scores of hospitalized newborns (P < 0.05). The pain-relief effect was more robust in the combined group than in other groups. Conclusions: This study showed that both non-nutritional sucking and the mother's voice alleviated repeated procedural pain in neonates. Therefore, these interventions can be used as alternatives to reduce repeated procedural pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the effect of acupoint stimulation compared to other interventions on pain control in neonates who underwent heel lance, we searched for randomized controlled trials across six databases (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, and Web of Science) published up to January 2023. Studies comparing acupoint stimulation and other interventions for controlling heel lance pain in neonates were included. These reports measured at least one of the following variables: pain score, crying time, oxygenation saturation, heart rate, respiration rate, and duration of the procedure. The data were independently extracted by two authors, and the PRISMA guidelines for study selection were followed. A total of 79 articles were screened, and 10 studies, with results on 813 neonates, were included in the final selection. The pain scores recorded during the heel lance procedure were not significantly different between the acupoint stimulation cohort and the control cohort (SMD of −0.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) from −0.52 to 0.01; p = 0.06; I2 = 68%). After processing the subgroup analyses, significant differences were found in the comparisons of acupuncture vs. usual care (SMD of −1.25, 95% CI from −2.23 to 0.27) and acupressure vs. usual care (SMD of −0.62, 95% CI from −0.96 to −0.28); nonsignificant differences were found in other comparisons. Our results demonstrate that acupoint stimulation may improve pain score during the heel lance procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare the effect of using white noise, embracing, and facilitated tucking on heel lance blood sampling in newborns. The study was a randomized controlled trial. Newborns totalling 160 were included in the study. The primary outcomes were evaluated pain and crying durations before, during, and after the procedure. The secondary outcomes were evaluated as physiological changes before, during, and after the procedure. The crying durations during and after the heel lance blood sampling were found significantly lower in the newborns in the embracing group compared to those in the other groups (p < 0.05). The average NIPS score of the newborns who were embraced by their mothers during (3.67 ± 2.76) and after (1.55 ± 2.6) heel lance blood sampling was found significantly lower than the other groups (p < 0.05). Maternal embracing during and after the heel lance blood sampling procedure may be effective in reducing crying duration and pain level in newborns. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04837326. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The painful procedure of drawing blood from the heel (heel lance) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is necessary for some diagnostic tests. However, it can have negative effects on the physiological criteria of preterm neonates. This study aimed to compare the effect of lullaby and kangaroo care on the physiological criteria of preterm neonates admitted to the NICU during heel lance. Methods: This clinical trial study was conducted with a crossover design on 60 preterm newborns (30-36 weeks of gestation) admitted to the NICU at Ali ibn Abi Taleb Hospital, Zahedan, Iran, 2019. The neonates were randomly divided into two groups of lullaby and kangaroo care (n=30 each). In the former group, a lullaby was played for the neonates through headphones for 30 min, and in the latter group, the naked neonate was placed in the mother's arms for the same duration. Physiological criteria were recorded before (0 min), during (15 min), and after the procedure (30 min). The collected data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) using independent t-tests and Chi-square test. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the mean scores of gestation age of neonates in the lullaby (32.63±1.92) and kangaroo care (32.69±1.92) group (P=1.000). The results of the independent sample t-test showed that during the intervention, there was a difference between the mean pulse rate (P=0.015), respiration rate (P=0.003), and arterial oxygen saturation percentage (P

To evaluate the effect of acupoint stimulation compared to other interventions on pain control in neonates who underwent heel lance, we searched for randomized controlled trials across six databases (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, and Web of Science) published up to January 2023. Studies comparing acupoint stimulation and other interventions for controlling heel lance pain in neonates were included. These reports measured at least one of the following variables: pain score, crying time, oxygenation saturation, heart rate, respiration rate, and duration of the procedure. The data were independently extracted by two authors, and the PRISMA guidelines for study selection were followed. A total of 79 articles were screened, and 10 studies, with results on 813 neonates, were included in the final selection. The pain scores recorded during the heel lance procedure were not significantly different between the acupoint stimulation cohort and the control cohort (SMD of −0.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) from −0.52 to 0.01; p = 0.06; I2 = 68%). After processing the subgroup analyses, significant differences were found in the comparisons of acupuncture vs. usual care (SMD of −1.25, 95% CI from −2.23 to 0.27) and acupressure vs. usual care (SMD of −0.62, 95% CI from −0.96 to −0.28); nonsignificant differences were found in other comparisons. Our results demonstrate that acupoint stimulation may improve pain score during the heel lance procedure.

Background & aim: Warm compression is an effective method preferred in relieving pain. It enables procedures to be completed in a shorter time, and with less pain due to increasing blood flow in the area. This study aimed to investigate the effects of warm compress applied before heel lance on the procedure time, level of pain, and comfort level of healthy term newborns. Methods: This randomized controlled clinical was conducted on 80 neonates who were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The data were collected using demographic questionnaire, observation checklist for procedure, Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS), and The Comfort Behaviour Scale (TCBS). The experimental group was subjected to local dry mild-warm compression to the heel before the heel lance procedure. The control group received routine heel lance procedure. Body temperature, peak heart rate, and oxygen saturation levels before, during, and after the procedure were recorded in both groups. Data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 16) using the Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: The results of the study showed shorter procedure time in the experimental group compared to the control group (P Conclusion: It was found that warm compression applied before heel lance decrease the length of the procedure and is effective in decreasing pain and providing comfort in newborns.

Background: The painful procedure of drawing blood from the heel (heel lance) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is necessary for some diagnostic tests. However, it can have negative effects on the physiological criteria of preterm neonates. This study aimed to compare the effect of lullaby and kangaroo care on the physiological criteria of preterm neonates admitted to the NICU during heel lance. Methods: This clinical trial study was conducted with a crossover design on 60 preterm newborns (30-36 weeks of gestation) admitted to the NICU at Ali ibn Abi Taleb Hospital, Zahedan, Iran, 2019. The neonates were randomly divided into two groups of lullaby and kangaroo care (n=30 each). In the former group, a lullaby was played for the neonates through headphones for 30 min, and in the latter group, the naked neonate was placed in the mother's arms for the same duration. Physiological criteria were recorded before (0 min), during (15 min), and after the procedure (30 min). The collected data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) using independent t-tests and Chi-square test. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the mean scores of gestation age of neonates in the lullaby (32.63±1.92) and kangaroo care (32.69±1.92) group (P=1.000). The results of the independent sample t-test showed that during the intervention, there was a difference between the mean pulse rate (P=0.015), respiration rate (P=0.003), and arterial oxygen saturation percentage (P<0.01) in preterm neonates. The two groups were significantly different in this regard. However, in the post-intervention stage, no statistically significant difference was observed between the mean pulse rate and respiration rate (P=0.60 and P=0.614, respectively). Conclusion: Given the positive effect of kangaroo care on the physiological criteria of preterm newborns during heel lance, this non-pharmacological, low-cost, and available method could help nurses working in the NICU improve physiological criteria during heel lance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate the effect of foot reflexology on alleviating term neonates' invasive pain caused by heel lance. In this quasi-experimental study, 60 healthy neonates were recruited and divided into a reflexology group (n = 30) and a control (n = 30) group. The study design was quasi-experimental since the randomisation method was not used in the assignment of newborns to the groups. While the reflexology group received foot reflexology for an average of 20 min before heel lance, the control group received no intervention. The elicited data were analysed using descriptive statistics and independent t -test. The reflexology and the control groups were similar in terms of age, gestational week, Apgar score, weight, height, and sex (P > 0.05). The Neonatal infant pain scale (NIPS) scores of the newborns in the reflexology group after the heel lance procedure were found to be significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). It was also found that reflexology had a significant effect on the neonates' heart rate before heel lance (P < 0.05) and a borderline effect during heel lance. Moreover, it was observed that the application of foot reflexology shortened the experimental-group neonates' crying periods after the procedural pain (P < 0.05). However, reflexology had no statistically significant effect on the duration of heel lance in both groups (P > 0.05). The application of foot reflexology before invasive procedures, such as heel lance in newborns, is an effective non-pharmacological method for reducing invasive pain. Thus, reflexology could be used to reduce neonates' pain and soothe them during painful procedures such as heel lance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the possibility of event-related potential (ERP) evoked by heel lance in neonates as an index of pain assessment, knowledge acquired by and problems of the methods used in studies on ERP evoked by heel lance in neonates were systematically reviewed, including knowledge about Aδ and C fibers responding to noxious stimuli and Aβ fibers responding to non-noxious stimuli. Of the 863 reports searched, 19 were selected for the final analysis. The following points were identified as problems for ERP evoked by heel lance in neonates to serve as a pain assessment index: (1) It is possible that the ERP evoked by heel lance reflected the activation of Aβ fibers responding to non-noxious stimuli and not the activation of Aδ or C fibers responding to noxious stimulation; (2) Sample size calculation was presented in few studies, and the number of stimulation trials to obtain an averaged ERP was small. Accordingly, to establish ERP evoked by heel lance as a pain assessment in neonates, it is necessary to perform a study to clarify ERP evoked by Aδ- and C-fiber stimulations accompanied by heel lance in neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Orally administered sucrose is effective and safe in reducing pain intensity during single, tissue-damaging procedures in neonates, and is commonly recommended in neonatal pain guidelines. However, there is wide variability in sucrose doses examined in research, and more than a 20-fold variation across neonatal care settings. The aim of this study was to determine the minimally effective dose of 24% sucrose for reducing pain in hospitalized neonates undergoing a single skin-breaking heel lance procedure. Methods A total of 245 neonates from 4 Canadian tertiary neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), born between 24 and 42 weeks gestational age (GA), were prospectively randomized to receive one of three doses of 24% sucrose, plus non-nutritive sucking/pacifier, 2 min before a routine heel lance: 0.1 ml (Group 1; n = 81), 0.5 ml (Group 2; n = 81), or 1.0 ml (Group 3; n = 83). The primary outcome was pain intensity measured at 30 and 60 s following the heel lance, using the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R). The secondary outcome was the incidence of adverse events. Analysis of covariance models, adjusting for GA and study site examined between group differences in pain intensity across intervention groups. Results There was no difference in mean pain intensity PIPP-R scores between treatment groups at 30 s (P = .97) and 60 s (P = .93); however, pain was not fully eliminated during the heel lance procedure. There were 5 reported adverse events among 5/245 (2.0%) neonates, with no significant differences in the proportion of events by sucrose dose (P = .62). All events resolved spontaneously without medical intervention. Conclusions The minimally effective dose of 24% sucrose required to treat pain associated with a single heel lance in neonates was 0.1 ml. Further evaluation regarding the sustained effectiveness of this dose in reducing pain intensity in neonates for repeated painful procedures is warranted. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02134873. Date: May 5, 2014 (retrospectively registered).

Background: Identifying better pain management strategies for painful procedures performed in neonatal care is a clinical priority. Retinopathy of prematurity screening and heel-lance blood tests are essential clinical procedures, but adequate pain relief is not currently provided because of a lack of evidence-based analgesia. Morphine provides effective analgesia in older children and adults, but efficacy in infants is controversial. Morphine is, however, commonly used intravenously for sedation in ventilated infants. Objective: The primary objective was to investigate whether or not a single 100 µg/kg morphine sulphate dose administered orally prior to painful clinical procedures provides effective analgesia. Design: Single-centre, prospective, randomised controlled trial. Setting: John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK. Participants: Thirty-one infants of 34–42 weeks’ gestational age, requiring a heel lance and retinopathy of prematurity screening on the same test occasion. Interventions: The study interventions were 100 µg/kg of oral morphine sulphate (intervention arm) or placebo (control arm) 1 hour before the clinically required procedures. Main outcome measures: There were two co-primary outcomes: Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised score (a higher score implies more nociceptive processing) during the 30-second period after retinopathy of prematurity screening, and the magnitude of noxious-evoked brain activity (a higher activity implies more nociceptive processing) following the heel lance. Physiological stability and safety were secondary outcomes. Results: After 31 participants were randomised (30 studied and one withdrew), the predefined safety stopping boundary was passed as 3 of the 15 infants who received morphine had apnoeas requiring resuscitation with non-invasive positive-pressure ventilation in the 24 hours after drug administration, compared with 0 of the 15 infants who received placebo [difference in proportion 0.2, 80% confidence interval (adjusted to allow for planned multiple analyses) 0.05 to 1.00; p = 0.085]. The trial was therefore stopped because of profound respiratory adverse effects of morphine without suggestion of analgesic efficacy. There was no significant difference between the trial arms for either primary outcome (Premature Infant Profile-Revised score following retinopathy of prematurity screening mean score ± standard deviation – morphine: 11.1 ± 3.2; Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised score following retinopathy of prematurity screening mean score ± standard deviation – placebo: 10.5 ± 3.4; mean difference in Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised score following retinopathy of prematurity screening score 0.5, 95% confidence interval –2.0 to 3.0, p = 0.66; noxious-evoked brain activity following heel lancing median activity – morphine: 0.99, interquartile range 0.40–1.56; noxious-evoked brain activity following heel lancing median activity – placebo: 0.75, interquartile range 0.33–1.22; and median difference in noxious-evoked brain activity following heel lancing 0.25, 95% confidence interval –0.16 to 0.80, p = 0.25). Limitations: The trial lacked power for the primary outcome measures because of early cessation. However, there was a trend across modalities favouring placebo, suggesting that it was unlikely that a clinically significant analgesic benefit would have been detected in the original proposed sample of 156 infants. Conclusions: The administration of 100 µg/kg of oral morphine to non-ventilated premature infants has the potential for harm without analgesic benefit. Oral morphine is not recommended for retinopathy of prematurity screening, and caution is strongly advised if this is being considering for other acute painful procedures in non-ventilated premature infants. Future work: Further clinical trials are essential to ascertain effective pain management for retinopathy of prematurity screening. Using multimodal measures with detailed physiological recordings provides a rigorous approach to assess analgesic efficacy and adverse effects, leading to greater mechanistic understanding of the drug effects. This is essential in future clinical trials of analgesics in infants. Patient and public involvement: The research team worked closely with an on-site charity during the trial design, conduct, oversight and dissemination. Trial registration: Clinical Controlled Trials ISRCTN82342359; EudraCT 2014-003237-25. Funding: This project was funded by the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation programme, a Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health Research partnership. Funding was also received for the trial from the Wellcome Trust (reference numbers 095802 and 102076). The report will be published in full in Efficacy and Mechanism; Vol. 6, No. 9. See the National Institute for Health Research’s Journals Library website for further project information.

Background: Neonatal pain is an extensive research field and there are many possibilities to treat pain in neonates. Acupuncture is one new and non-pharmacological option and a promising tool to reduce pain in neonates undergoing minor painful interventions during routine medical care. Objectives: This review summarises trials of acupuncture for pain reduction in neonates undergoing painful interventions during routine medical care. Data source: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, electronic clinical trials registry platforms and reference lists were systematically screened for trials from their dates of inception to February 2017 (English language database search). Study selection: Inclusion criteria were (1) preterm or term neonates, (2) acupuncture for painful medical interventions and (3) formal pain assessment as a primary or secondary study outcome. We included only randomised controlled trials. Data extraction: Data were extracted using a standardised protocol and individual risk of bias was assessed. Results: The literature search revealed a total of 12 196 records. After application of inclusion criteria, five studies were included in this review. Two studies demonstrated significant pain reduction, one found equal outcomes in comparison to standard care, and two showed significantly higher pain scores with acupuncture alone. Limitations: The main limitation of the results is the heterogeneity across trials in acupuncture modality, acupuncture point selection, control groups and pain assessment (heterogeneity: I2=87%). Conclusion: The results of this review suggest that acupuncture may have a positive pain-relieving effect in neonates. However, due to the low number of available high-quality trials and heterogeneity across the studies it is not possible to state clear recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose : The present study aims to determine the effect of hot application prior to pre-heel stick operation on babies' crying and operation length. Design and sample: A questionnaire was applied to mothers of 120 healthy neonatals, who gave birth at Samsun Women-Birth and Children's Hospital and who volunteered to participate in the study between October and December 2008. After the questionnaire was completed, 60 babies were not given hot application prior to heel stick blood screening (group 1), while the remaining 60 (group 2) were given hot application 10 minutes before the practice. The data were evaluated by means of percentage and chi-square test. Results: Of the babies, 53.3% were female and the state of feeding an hour prior to blood stick screening was % 83.3. In the group which received hot application prior to heel stick screening, the babies' crying length and total operation length was shorter than the other group and the between-groups relationship was found to be statistically significant (p< 0.05). Conclusion: It was determined that the hot application given prior to heel stick blood screening shortened the operation length and babies were exposed to less painful stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Orally administered sucrose is effective and safe in reducing pain intensity during single, tissue-damaging procedures in neonates, and is commonly recommended in neonatal pain guidelines. However, there is wide variability in sucrose doses examined in research, and more than a 20-fold variation across neonatal care settings. The aim of this study was to determine the minimally effective dose of 24% sucrose for reducing pain in hospitalized neonates undergoing a single skin-breaking heel lance procedure.Methods: A total of 245 neonates from 4 Canadian tertiary neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), born between 24 and 42 weeks gestational age (GA), were prospectively randomized to receive one of three doses of 24% sucrose, plus non-nutritive sucking/pacifier, 2 min before a routine heel lance: 0.1 ml (Group 1; n = 81), 0.5 ml (Group 2; n = 81), or 1.0 ml (Group 3; n = 83). The primary outcome was pain intensity measured at 30 and 60 s following the heel lance, using the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R). The secondary outcome was the incidence of adverse events. Analysis of covariance models, adjusting for GA and study site examined between group differences in pain intensity across intervention groups.Results: There was no difference in mean pain intensity PIPP-R scores between treatment groups at 30 s (P = .97) and 60 s (P = .93); however, pain was not fully eliminated during the heel lance procedure. There were 5 reported adverse events among 5/245 (2.0%) neonates, with no significant differences in the proportion of events by sucrose dose (P = .62). All events resolved spontaneously without medical intervention.Conclusions: The minimally effective dose of 24% sucrose required to treat pain associated with a single heel lance in neonates was 0.1 ml. Further evaluation regarding the sustained effectiveness of this dose in reducing pain intensity in neonates for repeated painful procedures is warranted.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT02134873. Date: May 5, 2014 (retrospectively registered). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this trial was to determine whether cobedding of preterm twins has analgesic effects during heel lancing or not. Methods: One hundred premature twins (50 sets) born between 26 weeks' and 34 weeks' gestation undergoing heel blood sampling were randomly assigned into two groups: the cobedding group (receiving care in the same incubator) and the standard care group (receiving care in separate incubators). Pain was assessed using the premature infant pain profile score. Duration of crying was measured after heel blood sampling, and salivary cortisol was measured prior to and after heel blood sampling. Results: Infants in the standard care group cried for a longer time during heel lancing than those in the cobedding group (42.6 ± 19.8 seconds vs. 36.4 ± 21.7 seconds, p = 0.03). The mean premature infant pain profile score after heel lancing was significantly higher in the standard care group (9.8 ± 2.6 vs. 8.06 ± 2.8, p = 0.002). The mean salivary cortisol after heel lancing was also significantly higher in the standard care group (24.3 ± 7.4 nmol/L vs. 20.8 ± 7.4 nmol/L, p = 0.02). No significant adverse effects were seen with cobedding. Conclusion: Cobedding is a comforting measure for twin premature infants during heel lancing, which can be performed without any significant adverse effects.

Background: Applied mechanical vibration in pediatric and adult populations has been shown to be an effective analgesic for acute and chronic pain, including needle pain. Studies among the neonatal population are lacking. According to the Gate Control Theory, it is expected that applied mechanical vibration will have a summative effect with standard nonpharmacologic pain control strategies, reducing behavioral and physiologic pain responses to heel lancing.Purpose: To determine the safety and efficacy of mechanical vibration for relief of heel lance pain among neonates.Methods: In this parallel design randomized controlled trial, eligible enrolled term or term-corrected neonates (n = 56) in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit were randomized to receive either sucrose and swaddling or sucrose, swaddling, and vibration for heel lance analgesia. Vibration was applied using a handheld battery-powered vibrator (Norco MiniVibrator, Hz = 92) to the lateral aspect of the lower leg along the sural dermatome throughout the heel lance procedure. Neonatal Pain, Agitation, and Sedation Scale (N-PASS) scores, heart rate, and oxygen saturations were collected at defined intervals surrounding heel lancing.Results: Infants in the vibration group (n = 30) had significantly lower N-PASS scores and more stable heart rates during heel stick (P = .006, P = .037) and 2 minutes after heel lance (P = .002, P = .016) than those in the nonvibration group. There were no adverse behavioral or physiologic responses to applied vibration in the sample.Implications For Practice and Research: Applied mechanical vibration is a safe and effective method for managing heel lance pain. This pilot study suggests that mechanical vibration warrants further exploration as a nonpharmacologic pain management tool among the neonatal population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Heelstick is the most frequently performed skin-breaking procedure in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). There are no large multicenter studies describing the frequency and analgesic approaches used for heelsticks performed in NICUs. Objectives To describe the frequency of heelsticks and their analgesic management in newborns in the NICU. To determine the factors associated with the lack of specific preprocedural analgesia for this procedure. Design EPIPPAIN 2 (Epidemiology of Procedural PAin In Neonates) is a descriptive prospective epidemiologic study. Setting All 16 NICUs in the Paris region in France. Participants All newborns in the NICU with a maximum corrected age of 44 weeks +6 days of gestation on admission who had at least one heelstick during the study period were eligible for the study. The study included 562 newborns. Methods Data on all heelsticks and their corresponding analgesic therapies were prospectively collected. The inclusion period lasted six weeks, from June 2, 2011 to July 12, 2011. Newborns were followed from their admission to the 14th day of their NICU stay or discharge, whichever occurred first. Results The mean (SD) gestational age was 33.3 (4.4) weeks and duration of participation was 7.5 (4.4) days. The mean (SD; range) of heelsticks per neonate was 16.0 (14.4; 1–86) during the study period. Of the 8995 heelsticks studied, 2379 (26.4%) were performed with continuous analgesia, 5236 (58.2%) with specific preprocedural analgesia. Overall, 6764 (75.2%) heelsticks were performed with analgesia (continuous and/or specific). In a multivariate model, the increased lack of preprocedural analgesia was associated with female sex, term birth, high illness severity, tracheal or noninvasive ventilation, parental absence and use of continuous sedation/analgesia. Conclusions Heelstick was very frequently performed in NICUs. Although, most heelsticks were performed with analgesia, this was not systematic. The high frequency of this procedure and the known adverse effects of repetitive pain in neonates should encourage the search of safe and effective strategies to reduce their number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This randomized clinical trial was conducted to determine the efficacy of breast-feeding with maternal holding as compared with maternal holding without breastfeeding in relieving painful responses during heel lance blood drawing in full-term neonates. A convenience sample of 128 full-term newborn infants, in their fourth to sixth days of life, undergoing heel lance blood drawing for screening of hypothyroidism were included in the study. The neonates were randomly assigned into 2 equivalent groups. During heel lance blood drawing for infants, they either breast-fed with maternal holding (group I) or were held in their mother's lap without breast-feeding (group II). The painful responses were assessed simultaneously by 2 neonatal nurses blinded to the purpose of the study. Outcome measures for painful responses of the full-term neonates were evaluated with the Premature Infant Pain Profile scale. Independent ttest showed significant differences in Premature Infant Pain Profile scale scores among the 2 groups (f = -8.447, P= .000). Pain scores were significantly lower among infants who were breast-fed in addition to maternal holding. Evidence from this study indicates that the combination of breast-feeding with maternal holding reduces painful responses of full-term infants during heel lance blood drawing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Heel lances are common painful procedures performed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Upon observation, pain relieving methods were not consistently applied during such procedures in our institution. Objective The objective of this three-phase quality improvement project was to improve pain management for heel lance-induced pain in the NICU. Setting This study took place in a 27-bed NICU in a level IV perinatal regional center at a 591 bed university affiliated teaching hospital in New York, United States. Method Study Phase 1, involving 25 neonates, documented baseline pain management strategies and pain scores, which were measured before, during, and after heel lancing using the Neonatal Pain Agitation and Sedation Scale (N-PASS). In Study Phase 2, nurses and physicians were educated on the use of sucrose and non-pharmacological measures to prevent and manage heel lance-induced pain. Study Phase 3 (Post education evaluation), had the same procedure as Study Phase 1, and involved another host of 25 neonates. Main outcome measure Pain scores were compared in groups of neonates in Phase 1 (before education) and Phase 3 (after education) before, during and after heel lancing. Other outcome measures included quantifying the use of sucrose and documenting any adverse effects. Results We found an 84 % increase in the use of sucrose post-education (Phase 3), and most importantly, an 11.2 % reduction in pain scores from heel lances in neonates. Four neonates who did not receive sucrose in Phase 3 had higher pain scores during heel lancing than those who did (3.5 and 2.38, respectively). There were no adverse effects reported with sucrose. Conclusion Health care providers were aware of sucrose but were not using this treatment modality, despite its availability on nursing units. Education was effective in the adoption of sucrose use, leading to a reduction in pain from heel lances in neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: to test the effectiveness of breast feeding (BF), music therapy (MT), and combined breast feeding and music therapy (BF+MT) on pain relief in healthy-term neonates during heel lance. Design: randomised controlled trial. Setting: in the postpartum unit of one university-affiliated hospital in China from August 2013 to February 2014. Participants: among 288 healthy-term neonates recruited, 250 completed the trial. All neonates were undergoing heel lancing for metabolic screening, were breast fed, and had not been fed for the previous 30 minutes. Interventions: all participants were randomly assigned into four groups -- BF, MT, BF+MT, and no intervention -- with 72 neonates in each group. Neonates in the control group received routine care. Neonates in the other three intervention groups received corresponding interventions five minutes before the heel lancing and throughout the whole procedure. Measurements: Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS), latency to first cry, and duration of first crying. Findings: mean changes in NIPS scores from baseline over time was dependent on the interventions given. Neonates in the BF and combined BF+MT groups had significantly longer latency to first cry, shorter duration of first crying, and lower pain mean score during and one minute after heel lance, compared to the other two groups. No significant difference in pain response was found between BF groups with or without music therapy. The MT group did not achieve a significantly reduced pain response in all outcome measures. Conclusions: BF could significantly reduce pain response in healthy-term neonates during heel lance. MT did not enhance the effect of pain relief of BF. Implications for practice: healthy-term neonates should be breast fed to alleviate pain during heel lance. There is no need for the additional input of classical music on breast feeding in clinic to relieve procedural pain. Nurses should encourage breast feeding to relieve pain during heel lance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The purpose of this trial was to determine whether cobedding of preterm twins has analgesic effects during heel lancing or not. Methods One hundred premature twins (50 sets) born between 26 weeks' and 34 weeks' gestation undergoing heel blood sampling were randomly assigned into two groups: the cobedding group (receiving care in the same incubator) and the standard care group (receiving care in separate incubators). Pain was assessed using the premature infant pain profile score. Duration of crying was measured after heel blood sampling, and salivary cortisol was measured prior to and after heel blood sampling. Results Infants in the standard care group cried for a longer time during heel lancing than those in the cobedding group (42.6 ± 19.8 seconds vs. 36.4 ± 21.7 seconds, p = 0.03). The mean premature infant pain profile score after heel lancing was significantly higher in the standard care group (9.8 ± 2.6 vs. 8.06 ± 2.8, p = 0.002). The mean salivary cortisol after heel lancing was also significantly higher in the standard care group (24.3 ± 7.4 nmol/L vs. 20.8 ± 7.4 nmol/L, p = 0.02). No significant adverse effects were seen with cobedding. Conclusion Cobedding is a comforting measure for twin premature infants during heel lancing, which can be performed without any significant adverse effects [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pain in neonates is largely underestimated and neglected. Pain experience can alter clinical outcome, brain development and subsequent behavior in newborns. Numerous newborns undergo blood sampling routinely in nurseries/NICUs and these procedures are often done without pain relieving measures. Heel lancing and venepuncture are two common procedures for blood sampling in neonates. The objective of this study was to compare pain response to venepuncture versus heel lance in full term neonates. Materials and Methods: A comparative observational study was conducted among 200 term neonates who were undergoing blood sampling for bilirubin or glucose estimation. Neonates were randomly assigned to heel lance (HL) and venepuncture (VP) groups with 100 babies in each group. During the procedure, pain was assessed by Neonatal/Infant pain Scale (NIPS). Heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation (SpO2) were continuously monitored 5 minutes prior to procedure and upto 5 minutes after the procedure. Results: The median NIPS score in HL and VP were 7 and 3.5 respectively which showed statistically significant (p= 0.0001) higher level of pain experience in HL than in VP. During the procedure, both the groups (HL and VP) showed significant changes in heart rate and oxygen saturation i.e., increase in HR (p= 0.0001) and decrease in SpO2 (p= 0.0001), however the increase in heart rate and decrease in oxygen saturation were significantly more in HL than in VP (p= 0.0001). Conclusion: Neonates perceive pain as demonstrated by Neonatal Pain Scale and venepuncture is the less painful procedure than heel lancing for blood sampling in neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this trial was to investigate whether breast milk (either breastfed or bottle-fed) has a better analgesic effect than sucrose in newborns born at a postmenstrual age between 32 and 37 weeks. METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial at a secondary care neonatal unit in the Netherlands on 71 preterm neonates (post- menstrual age at birth 32-37 weeks), undergoing heel lance with an automated piercing device. Newborns were randomly assigned to breast milk (either breastfed or bottle-fed) administered during heel lance or oral sucrose administered before heel lance. We assessed the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) score (range, 0-21) to investigate whether there was a difference in pain score between neonates receiving breast milk and those receiving sucrose solution. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in mean PIPP score between neonates receiving breast milk (6.1) and those receiving sucrose (5.5), with a mean difference of 0.6 (95% confidence interval -1.6 to 2.8; P= .58). CONCLUSIONS: From this study, it cannot be concluded that breast milk has a better analgesic effect than sucrose in late preterm infants. From the results, it follows with 95% confidence that the analgesic effect of breast milk is not >1 6 points better and not > 2.8 points worse on the PIPP scale (SD 3.7) than the analgesic effect of sucrose in late preterm infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this longitudinal study, conducted in a neonatal intensive care unit, was to characterize the response to pain of high-risk very low birth weight infants (<1,500 g) from 23 to 38 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA) by measuring heart rate variability (HRV). Heart period data were recorded before, during, and after a heel lanced or wrist venipunctured blood draw for routine clinical evaluation. Pain response to the blood draw procedure and age-related changes of HRV in low-frequency and high-frequency bands were modeled with linear mixed-effects models. HRV in both bands decreased during pain, followed by a recovery to near-baseline levels. Venipuncture and mechanical ventilation were factors that attenuated the HRV response to pain. HRV at the baseline increased with post-menstrual age but the growth rate of high-frequency power was reduced in mechanically ventilated infants. There was some evidence that low-frequency HRV response to pain improved with advancing PMA. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 51: 638–649, 2009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To test if enhancing maternal skin-to-skin contact, or kangaroo mother care (KMC) by adding rocking, singing and sucking is more efficacious than simple KMC for procedural pain in preterm neonates.Study Design:Preterm neonates (n=90) between 32 0/7 and 36 0/7 weeks' gestational age participated in a single-blind randomized crossover design. The infant was held in KMC with the addition of rocking, singing and sucking or the infant was held in KMC without additional stimulation. The Premature Infant Pain Profile was the primary outcome with time to recover as the secondary outcome. A repeated-measures analysis of covariance was employed for analyses.Result:There were no significant differences in any of the 30 s time periods over the 2 min of blood sampling nor in time to return to baseline. Compared to historical controls of the same age in incubator, the pain scores were lower and comparable to other studies of KMC. There were site differences related to lower scores with the use of sucrose in one site and higher scores in younger, sicker infants in another site.Conclusion:The sensorial stimulations from skin-to-skin contact that include tactile, olfactory sensations from the mother are sufficient to decrease pain response in premature neonates. Other studies showing that rocking, sucking and music were efficacious were independent of skin-to-skin contact, which, when used alone has been shown to be effective as reported across studies.Journal of Perinatology (2009) 29, 51–56; doi:10.1038/jp.2008.113; published online 4 September 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Pain and stress have been shown to induce significant physiological and behavioural reactions in newborn infants. Pharmacological agents are not recommended in neonates for pain relief in minor procedures. Since different sweet solutions given orally by syringe have been shown to relieve pain in neonates, we decided to compare the analgesic effects of a small dose of glucose solution given orally by spray and by syringe during heel lancing in term neonates, using a validated behavioural acute pain rating scale. Methods: Sixty hyperbilirubinaemic full-term neonates were studied. We used a randomized, masked, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Each infant was assessed three times receiving 0.5 ml 30% glucose in spray form, 0.5 ml 30% glucose by syringe or 0.5 ml sterile water by syringe in random order, 2 mm before heel lancing. Results: Pain scores were significantly lower in the 30% glucose given either spray or syringe groups compared with the placebo group. No statistically significant difference in pain scores was found between the 30% glucose spray group and 30% glucose syringe group. Conclusions: A small dose of 0.5 ml 30% glucose spray has an equal analgesic effect to the same dose given by syringe. The spray form has the advantage of being easy to use and is well accepted by newborn babies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pain in the newborn child can be associated with various risks. For this reason, as well as for ethical reasons, it seems essential to find a simple and acceptable method for reducing pain. Pharmacological agents are not recommended because of their side-effects. Glucose and sucrose solutions were administered, and were found effective for pain relief in minor procedures in previous studies. Fructose solution has not been tried in human neonates before now. For this study, fructose solution for pain relief was tried during heel lancing in term neonates, and to compare its effect with glucose and placebo, using a validated behavioral acute pain rating scale. Methods: In total, 34 healthy full-term neonates were studied. Randomized, masked, placebo-controlled and crossover trial were used. Each infant was assessed three times, receiving 0.5 mL of 30% fructose, 0.5 mL of 30% glucose or 0.5 mL of sterile water orally by syringe in random order, 2 min before heel lancing. Results: Pain scores were significantly lower in 30% fructose and 30% glucose groups as compared with the placebo group. No statistically significant difference in pain scores was found between 30% fructose and 30% glucose groups. Conclusion: A small dose of 0.5 mL of 30% fructose solution has an equal analgesic effect with 0.5 mL of 30% glucose solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newborns are subject to pain during routine invasive procedures. Pain caused by blood collection through heel lance is routinely underestimated and often untreated. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of oral Dextrose Gel 40% to actual standard of care Glucose 255 to control infant's pain during routine heel lance blood collection for metabolic disease screening at 72 hours of age in healthy term neonates. In this prospective, randomised clinical trial we enrolled 100 healthy term newborn infants at 72 hours of age, who underwent blood collection and were randomized to two treatment groups: Glucose 25% and Dextrose 40% Gel oral. Pain was measured by the Preterm Infants Pain Profile (PIPP Scale). Pain was significantly lower in infants in the Dextrose 40% Gel group than those in Glucose 25% (standard of care) group. Dextrose Gel 40% is an effective pain management method during heel lance blood collection procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study examined a more effective pain management method, without sucrose, on heel lance in preterm infants using the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP)., Design: In a nonblinded, randomized controlled, two-period, two-sequence crossover trial, 25 infants were randomly allocated to intervention (a Brahms lullaby with non-nutritive sucking, facilitated tucking and holding) or standard care (facilitated tucking and holding)., Setting: Local Perinatal Medical Centre's NICU in Japan, July 2014 until June 2015., Outcome Measures: The primary outcome variable was PIPP, and secondary outcomes were heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation, and abnormal HR (> baseline mean plus 2 SDs, or <120 minus 2 SDs)., Results: The infants were 33.8 weeks gestational age at birth, 1,983.7 g birth weight, and 32 to 35 weeks postconceptual age. At all 10 measurement points, constructed of every 30 seconds postheel lance, mean PIPP of infants during the intervention (3.6 to 2.4) was significantly lower than during the standard care (8.0 to 4.6) (range, P=0.0039 to P<0.0001). All PIPP reduction rates from the 30 seconds point were similar between the two groups. The HR of preterm infants at the 120 seconds points were significantly lower (P=0.0151), and the HRs of 6 points were considerably lower during the intervention than during the standard care (range, P≤0.0879 to P≥0.049). The abnormal HR total number was significantly lower during the intervention (2) than the standard care (23) (frequency ratio=0.087, P<0.0001)., Conclusion: This method demonstrated stronger analgesia, early pain relief, and maintenance of homeostasis on heel lance in preterm infants.

Objectives: to test the effectiveness of breast feeding (BF), music therapy (MT), and combined breast feeding and music therapy (BF+MT) on pain relief in healthy-term neonates during heel lance., Design: randomised controlled trial., Setting: in the postpartum unit of one university-affiliated hospital in China from August 2013 to February 2014., Participants: among 288 healthy-term neonates recruited, 250 completed the trial. All neonates were undergoing heel lancing for metabolic screening, were breast fed, and had not been fed for the previous 30 minutes., Interventions: all participants were randomly assigned into four groups - BF, MT, BF+MT, and no intervention - with 72 neonates in each group. Neonates in the control group received routine care. Neonates in the other three intervention groups received corresponding interventions five minutes before the heel lancing and throughout the whole procedure., Measurements: Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS), latency to first cry, and duration of first crying., Findings: mean changes in NIPS scores from baseline over time was dependent on the interventions given. Neonates in the BF and combined BF+MT groups had significantly longer latency to first cry, shorter duration of first crying, and lower pain mean score during and one minute after heel lance, compared to the other two groups. No significant difference in pain response was found between BF groups with or without music therapy. The MT group did not achieve a significantly reduced pain response in all outcome measures., Conclusions: BF could significantly reduce pain response in healthy-term neonates during heel lance. MT did not enhance the effect of pain relief of BF., Implications for Practice: healthy-term neonates should be breast fed to alleviate pain during heel lance. There is no need for the additional input of classical music on breast feeding in clinic to relieve procedural pain. Nurses should encourage breast feeding to relieve pain during heel lance., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)