Repeating a dose of sucrose for heel prick procedure in preterms is not effective in reducing pain: a randomised controlled trial.

Oral sucrose is included in almost all recommendations for treatment of pain in newborns, but evidence if multiple doses might be more effective than a single standard dose is lacking. We designed a single-centre, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial. We enrolled preterm infants needing the heel prick procedure. Each enrolled infant was randomised to receive a single standard dose of sucrose 2 min before or a double dose of sucrose 2 min before, and 30 s after heel prick. Primary outcome was the efficacy of the two interventions tested by the premature infant pain profile-PIPP scale obtained at 30 s, 60 s, and 120 s after heel prick. Secondary outcome was the evaluation of the concordance between the PIPP scale and other pain scores more feasible in clinical practice. Seventy-two infants were randomised. No difference in pain perception as measured by the PIPP scale was found between the groups: median PIPP values 4.0(IQR 3.0-4.0) vs 3.0(IQR 3.0-4.0) at baseline; 6.0(IQR 5.0-10.0) vs 6.0(IQR 4.0-8.5) at 30 s; 6.0(IQR 4.0-7.0) vs 5.0(IQR 4.0-8.5) at 60 s and 5.0(IQR 4.0-7.0) vs 5.0(IQR 4.0-7.5) at 2 min, in the experimental and standard treatment groups, respectively (p = 0.9020). There was no correlation between PIPP scores and other pain scales.Conclusion: We do not recommend doubling the dose during heel prick.What is Known:• Oral sucrose is included in almost all international position papers and recommendations for the treatment of mild to moderate pain in newborns, associated with non-nutritive sucking and facilitated tucking• Premature infant pain profile (PIPP) scale is the gold standard for evaluation of pain in preterms but it is difficult to use in clinical practiceWhat is New:• Repeating a dose of 24% sucrose is not effective in reducing pain during the recovery phase of a skin breaking procedure• Other pain scales, easier to use in clinical practice, are not comparable with PIPP for the evaluation of procedural pain in preterms.

Elective caesarean delivery adversely affects preductal oxygen saturation during birth transition.

OBJECTIVE: To compare preductal oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate (HR) and cord blood pH after birth in healthy term neonates delivered by elective caesarean delivery (CD) and vaginal delivery (VD), managed according to 2010 Neonatal Resuscitation Guidelines. DESIGN: In a prospective cohort study, sensors were placed on the right hand of the neonate. SETTING: III level Maternity ward of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Padua University, Padua, Italy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: SpO2 and HR were recorded during the first 10 min after birth. Umbilical artery blood gas analysis was obtained immediately after delivery. PATIENTS: We studied 60 newborn infants by elective CD and 60 by VD. RESULTS: The SpO2 gradually significantly improved during the first 10 min of life (p<0.0001), with a trend towards a slower increase in caesarean-delivered neonates (p=0.09) (Friedman's two-way non-parametric analysis of variance (ANOVA)). Instead, HR varied during the first 10 min of life (p=0.001) without significant difference between the two delivery groups (p=0.41). Umbilical artery pH values were lower in VD (p=0.005). At 10th minute, elective CD had a significantly negative effect on SpO2 (ß=-2.44; 95% CI -4.52 to -0.36; p=0.02) with respect to VD. Conversely, at 10th minute, delivery mode had no statistically significant effect on HR (ß=0.33; 95% CI -9.39 to 10.01; p=0.95). CONCLUSIONS: In healthy term neonates, the SpO2 gradually improved during the first 10 min of life. At 10th minute, elective CD had a significantly negative effect on SpO2, but these changes did not result in an impaired HR pattern.

Oxygen delivery using a neonatal self-inflating resuscitation bag: effect of oxygen flow.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effect of oxygen (O2) flow rate on the corresponding delivered fraction of oxygen (FiO2) during positive pressure ventilation (PPV) when using a neonatal self-inflating bag (SIB). METHODS: Fifteen health care professionals administered PPV at a respiratory rate of 40 to 60 breaths per minute and at peak inspiratory pressures of 25 and 35 cm H2O to a manikin by using a SIB with reservoir connected to an O2 source equipped with a flowmeter (flow rates: 0-10 L/min). The FiO2 corresponding to each flow rate was measured at the inflow to the facial mask for 60 seconds. RESULTS: In total, 2520 FiO2 data points were collected. At every O2 flow rate, the FiO2 gradually increased from time 0 seconds to time 60 seconds, both at 25 cm H2O and at 35 cm H2O. After 1 minute of PPV at 25 cm H2O, the delivered FiO2 was 31.5% ± 2.1% and 43.1% ± 3.1% at O2 flow rates of 0.1 and 0.5 L/min, respectively. After 1 minute of PPV at 35 cm H2O, the delivered FiO2 was 29.4% ± 2.0% and 42.1% ± 4.6% at O2 flow rates of 0.1 and 0.5 L/min, respectively. At all O2 flow rates >5 L/min, the delivered FiO2 was >85% and >95%, after 1 minute of PPV at 25 and 35 cm H2O, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Delivered FiO2 during PPV depends on 3 factors: oxygen flow rate, peak inspiratory pressures, and time elapsed. These data can be used to develop a scheme correlating the oxygen flow rate and the corresponding delivered FiO2 when using a neonatal SIB.

Oxygen administration for the resuscitation of term and preterm infants.

Oxygen has been widely used in neonatal resuscitation for about 300 years. In October 2010, the International Liaison Committee on Neonatal Resuscitation released new guidelines. Based on experimental studies and randomized clinical trials, the recommendations on evaluation and monitoring of oxygenation status and oxygen supplementation in the delivery room were revised in detail. They include: inaccuracy of oxygenation clinical assessment (colour), mandatory use of pulse oximeter, specific saturation targets and oxygen concentrations during positive pressure ventilation in preterm and term infants. In this review, we describe oxygen management in the delivery room in terms of clinical assessment, monitoring, treatment and the gap of knowledge.