SimSAARlabim study - The role magic tricks play in reducing pain and stress in children.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination is an essential preventative medical intervention, but needle fearandinjection painmay result in vaccination hesistancy. STUDY PURPOSE: To assess the role of magic tricks - no trick vs. one trick ("disappearing handkerchief trick") vs. three tricks ("disappearing handkerchief trick", "jumping rubber band trick", and "disappearing ring trick") - performed by a professional magician and pediatrician during routine vaccination in reducing discomfort/pain and the stress response (heart rate, visual analogue scale (VAS), and biomarkers (cortisol, Immunoglobulin A (IgA), α-amylase, and overall protein concentration in saliva before and after vaccination). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Randomized controlled trial (RCT) in healthy children aged 6-11 years undergoing routine vaccination in an outpatient setting. RESULTS: 50 children (26 female) were enrolled (no trick: n = 17, 1 trick: n = 16, 3 tricks: n = 17) with a median age of 6.9 years (range: 5.3-10.8 years). We detected no significant differences among the three groups in their stress reponse (heart rate before and after vaccination and cortisol, IgA, α-amylase, and overall protein concentrations in saliva before and after vaccination) or regarding pain assessment using the VAS. CONCLUSIONS: Although children undergoing routine outpatient vaccination appeared to enjoy a magician's presence, the concomitant performance of magic tricks revealed no significant effect on the stress response.

Standardized Treatment and Diagnostic Approach to Reduce Disease burden in the early postoperative phase in children with congenital heart defects-STANDARD study: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

To explore the effect of a daily goal checklist on pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU) length of stay (LOS) after congenital heart surgery. This study is a prospective randomized single-center study. Group characteristics were as follows: STANDARD group: n = 30, 36.7% female, median age 0.9 years; control group: n = 33, 36.4% female, median age 1.1 years. Invasive ventilation time, STAT categories, mean vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS)24h, maximal (max.) VIS24h, mean VIS24-48h, max. VIS24-48h, VIS category, number of sedatives, analgesics, diuretics, number of deployed diagnostic modalities, morbidities, and mortality did not differ between both groups. Median PCICU LOS was 96.0 h (STANDARD group) versus 101.5 h (control group) (p = 0.63). In the overall cohort, univariate regression analysis identified age at surgery (b = -0.02), STAT category (b = 18.3), severity of CHD (b = 40.6), mean VIS24h (b = 3.5), max. VIS24h (b = 2.2), mean VIS24-48h (b = 6.5), and VIS category (b = 13.8) as significant parameters for prolonged PCICU LOS. In multivariate regression analysis, age at surgery (b = -0.2), severity of CHD (b = 44.0), and mean VIS24h (b = 6.7) were of significance. Within the STANDARD sub-group, univariate regression analysis determined STAT category (b = 32.3), severity of CHD (b = 70.0), mean VIS24h (b = 5.0), mean VIS24-48h (b = 5.9), number of defined goals (b = 2.6), number of achieved goals (b = 3.3), number of not achieved goals (b = 10.8), and number of unevaluated goals (b = 7.0) as significant parameters for prolonged PCICU LOS. Multivariate regression analysis identified the number of defined goals (b = 2.5) and the number of unevaluated goals (b = -3.0) to be significant parameters.   Conclusion: The structured realization and recording of daily goals is of advantage in patients following pediatric cardiac surgery by reducing PCICU LOS. What is known: • Communication errors are the most frequent reasons for adverse events in intensive care unit patients. • Improved communication can be achieved by discussion and documentation of the patients' goals during daily rounds. What is new: • In the overall cohort age at surgery, severity of congenital heart defect and mean vasoactive inotropic score within the first 24 hours had significant impact on pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU) length of stay (LOS). • In the intervention group, the number of defined goals and the number of unevaluated goals were significant parameters for prolonged PCICU LOS.