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Horner S. Impact of Parent Presence and Engagement on Stress in NICU Infants. Adv Neonatal Care 2024; 24:132-140. [PMID: 38547480 DOI: 10.1097/anc.0000000000001146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are exposed to frequent stressors that impact their neurodevelopmental outcomes. Parent presence and engagement are considered critical to improving infant outcomes, yet associations between cumulative NICU parent presence, engagement, and infant stress are infrequently examined. PURPOSE To examine associations between NICU infant stress and the amount (hours per week) or frequency (days per week) of parent presence and skin-to-skin care (SSC). METHODS A secondary analysis of a data set representing 78 NICU families was conducted. Infant acuity was measured using Neonatal Medical Index (NMI) scores. Parent presence and SSC data were collected from electronic medical records. Infant stress was measured using resting salivary cortisol levels collected at NICU discharge (median = 33 days of life). RESULTS More cumulative SSC was associated with lower discharge cortisol in NICU infants for SSC measured in hours per week (P = .03) or days per week (P = .05). Cumulative parent presence was not significantly associated with infant cortisol at discharge. Hierarchical regression analyses examining timing of parent presence supported a model including admission cortisol, NMI score, and parent presence during weeks 1 to 4 of life for explaining infant stress at discharge (R2 = 0.44, P = .004). Analyses examining timing of SSC supported a model including admission cortisol, NMI score, and frequency of SSC during week 1 for explaining infant stress at discharge (R2 = 0.21, P = .04). IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH Early, frequent SSC to mitigate stress in NICU infants was supported. Results suggested that timing of parent presence impacts NICU infant stress; however, additional study is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Horner
- Author Affiliations: Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Lombard, Illinois
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Nikolaeva EI, Dydenkova EA, Mayorova LA, Portnova GV. The impact of daily affective touch on cortisol levels in institutionalized & fostered children. Physiol Behav 2024; 277:114479. [PMID: 38309608 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Institutionalized children are often deprived of affective touch. Such tactile deprivation often leads to constant stress, as measured by the levels of salivary cortisol. We report here the impact of an affective touch program, optimized to activate a specific population of unmyelinated mechanosensitive nerves in the skin called c-tactile afferents (CT) on stress resistance. Two populations of children (age 4-10) were recruited: (i) a cohort living in an orphanage and (ii) a fostered cohort. Both groups received the affective touch program daily for 10-15 min for 5-6 weeks. A cohort of age-matched children living in a family environment acted as a control group and did not receive any instructions for tactile stimulation. Salivary cortisol was collected at the beginning (T1) and at the end (T2) of the study in all three groups. For institutionalized and fostered children there was a significant improvement in the level of cortisol (p < 0.0001) between T1 and T2, which is manifested in the balancing cortisol levels: a decrease where it was elevated and an increase, where the critically low level testified to the distress of the child. Balancing cortisol levels is a process of recovery to normal values, which indicates the restoration of neurohumoral mechanisms of stress regulation. The effect of balancing cortisol levels was more pronounced in the group of fostered children compared to the group of orphanage children (p = 0.0326). The children in the control group had no significant differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena I Nikolaeva
- Herzen State pedagogical University, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation; Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Eva A Dydenkova
- Minin University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation; Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation.
| | - Larisa A Mayorova
- Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation; Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Galina V Portnova
- Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation; Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
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3
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Molloy EJ, El-Dib M, Soul J, Juul S, Gunn AJ, Bender M, Gonzalez F, Bearer C, Wu Y, Robertson NJ, Cotton M, Branagan A, Hurley T, Tan S, Laptook A, Austin T, Mohammad K, Rogers E, Luyt K, Wintermark P, Bonifacio SL. Neuroprotective therapies in the NICU in preterm infants: present and future (Neonatal Neurocritical Care Series). Pediatr Res 2024; 95:1224-1236. [PMID: 38114609 PMCID: PMC11035150 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02895-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The survival of preterm infants has steadily improved thanks to advances in perinatal and neonatal intensive clinical care. The focus is now on finding ways to improve morbidities, especially neurological outcomes. Although antenatal steroids and magnesium for preterm infants have become routine therapies, studies have mainly demonstrated short-term benefits for antenatal steroid therapy but limited evidence for impact on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Further advances in neuroprotective and neurorestorative therapies, improved neuromonitoring modalities to optimize recruitment in trials, and improved biomarkers to assess the response to treatment are essential. Among the most promising agents, multipotential stem cells, immunomodulation, and anti-inflammatory therapies can improve neural outcomes in preclinical studies and are the subject of considerable ongoing research. In the meantime, bundles of care protecting and nurturing the brain in the neonatal intensive care unit and beyond should be widely implemented in an effort to limit injury and promote neuroplasticity. IMPACT: With improved survival of preterm infants due to improved antenatal and neonatal care, our focus must now be to improve long-term neurological and neurodevelopmental outcomes. This review details the multifactorial pathogenesis of preterm brain injury and neuroprotective strategies in use at present, including antenatal care, seizure management and non-pharmacological NICU care. We discuss treatment strategies that are being evaluated as potential interventions to improve the neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants born prematurely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor J Molloy
- Paediatrics, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Research in Childhood Centre (TRICC), Dublin, Ireland.
- Children's Hospital Ireland (CHI) at Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland.
- Neonatology, CHI at Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland.
- Neonatology, Coombe Women's and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Mohamed El-Dib
- Department of Pediatrics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Janet Soul
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sandra Juul
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alistair J Gunn
- Departments of Physiology and Paediatrics, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Manon Bender
- Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Fernando Gonzalez
- Department of Neurology, Division of Child Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Cynthia Bearer
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Yvonne Wu
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Nicola J Robertson
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mike Cotton
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Aoife Branagan
- Paediatrics, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Research in Childhood Centre (TRICC), Dublin, Ireland
- Neonatology, Coombe Women's and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Tim Hurley
- Paediatrics, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Research in Childhood Centre (TRICC), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sidhartha Tan
- Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Abbot Laptook
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Topun Austin
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Khorshid Mohammad
- Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Rogers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Karen Luyt
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Neonatology, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK
| | - Pia Wintermark
- Division of Neonatology, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill University Health Centre - Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sonia Lomeli Bonifacio
- Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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Filippa M, Nardelli M, Sansavini A, Meloni S, Picciolini O, Lunardi C, Cecchi A, Corvaglia L, Grandjean D, Scilingo EP, Della Casa E, Berardi A, Ferrari F. Maternal singing sustains preterm hospitalized newborns' autonomic nervous system maturation: an RCT. Pediatr Res 2024; 95:1110-1116. [PMID: 38057574 PMCID: PMC10920191 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02932-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Premature birth is known to affect the newborn's autonomic nervous system (ANS) maturation, with potential short and long-term impact on their neurobehavioral development. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of maternal directed singing and speaking on the preterm infants' autonomic nervous system (ANS) maturation as measured by the heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. METHODS In this multi-center randomized clinical trial, 30 stable preterm infants (m = 29,6 weeks of gestational age), without any abnormalities were randomized into an intervention (16) or a control group (14). HRV was measured weekly, for a total of 80 recordings during hospitalization, as well as before and after each session of singing or speaking. RESULTS The intervention group showed a significant increase of the percentage value of HRV power in the high frequency range when compared to the control group (p = 0.044). More specifically, the maternal singing significantly increased the high frequency power and decreased the low/high frequency power ratio (p = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS The preterm infant's vagal activity significantly increased in the intervention group, potentially enhancing their ANS maturation. The effect is specifically evidenced in the singing condition. IMPACT Maternal singing affects the autonomic nervous system maturation of preterm hospitalized newborns in the NICU. No previous studies investigated how early vocal parental intervention can affect preterm infants developement, throught their autonomic nervous system maturation. Early Vocal Contact as an early intervention involving parents has a positive impact on preterm infant's development and it can be easily implemented in the care of preterm infants. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT04759573, retrospectively registered, 17 February 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Filippa
- Division of Development and Growth, Department of Pediatrics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, 24, rue General Dufour, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Mimma Nardelli
- Bioengineering and Robotics Research Centre E. Piaggio and Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, 56122, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Sansavini
- Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sara Meloni
- Pediatric Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Francesco Sforza, 35, 20122, Milan, Italy
| | - Odoardo Picciolini
- Pediatric Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Francesco Sforza, 35, 20122, Milan, Italy
| | - Clara Lunardi
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Careggi University Hospital of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandra Cecchi
- Division of Neonatology, Careggi University Hospital, University of Florence School of Medicine, Florence, Italy
| | - Luigi Corvaglia
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, IRCCS AOU Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Didier Grandjean
- Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, 24, rue General Dufour, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Enzo Pasquale Scilingo
- Bioengineering and Robotics Research Centre E. Piaggio and Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, 56122, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisa Della Casa
- Women's and Children's Health Department, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Alberto Berardi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences of Mother, Children and Adults, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ferrari
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences of Mother, Children and Adults, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy
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5
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Liebowitz M, Kramer KP, Rogers EE. All Care is Brain Care: Neuro-Focused Quality Improvement in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Clin Perinatol 2023; 50:399-420. [PMID: 37201988 DOI: 10.1016/j.clp.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Neonates requiring intensive care are in a critical period of brain development that coincides with the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization, placing these infants at high risk of brain injury and long-term neurodevelopmental impairment. Care in the NICU has the potential to be both harmful and protective to the developing brain. Neuro-focused quality improvement efforts address 3 main pillars of neuroprotective care: prevention of acquired injury, protection of normal maturation, and promotion of a positive environment. Despite challenges in measurement, many centers have shown success with consistent implementation of best and potentially better practices that may improve markers of brain health and neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Liebowitz
- Envision Physician Services, St. Francis Hospital, 6001 East Woodmen Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80923, USA
| | - Katelin P Kramer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, 550 16th Avenue, 5th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; University of California, Benioff Children's Hospital, 550 16th Avenue, 5th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Elizabeth E Rogers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, 550 16th Avenue, 5th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; University of California, Benioff Children's Hospital, 550 16th Avenue, 5th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. https://twitter.com/eerogersmd
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6
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Onuagu V, Gardner F, Soni A, Doheny KK. Autonomic measures identify stress, pain, and instability associated with retinopathy of prematurity ophthalmologic examinations. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2022; 3:1032513. [PMID: 36483945 PMCID: PMC9722726 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2022.1032513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) ophthalmologic examinations cause stress and pain. Infants' stress and pain can be measured non-invasively using skin conductance (SC) and high frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV), reflecting sympathetic-mediated sweating and parasympathetic activity, respectively. OBJECTIVES To test the utility of SC to detect sympathetic activation during ROP examination, and the contribution of HF-HRV to predict stability post-examination. METHODS In this prospective, single center study, we measured SC continuously pre-, during, and post-examination, and HRV at 24 h pre-ROP examination. Clinical data included stability [apneas, bradycardias, and desaturations (A/B/Ds)], and interventions post-examination. RESULTS SC increased 56% above baseline during ROP examination (p = 0.001) and remained elevated post-examination (p = 0.02). Post-hoc analysis showed higher illness acuity, represented by need for respiratory support, was associated with lower HF-HRV at 24 h pre-ROP examination (p = 0.001). Linear regression indicated lower HF-HRV at 24 h pre-examination contributed to the need for higher intervention (i.e., stimulation to breathe, oxygen support) particularly among infants with higher illness acuity [F(1, 15) = 5.05, p = 0.04; β = -1.33, p = 0.04]. CONCLUSION ROP examination induced a 2-fold increase in sympathetic activation which remained above baseline in recovery. Also, we propose that the low parasympathetic tone associated with autonomic imbalance contributes to instability and need for higher intervention to assure stabilization with A/B/D events. Our findings provide insight into the underestimation of adverse events associated with ROP examination and identification of infants who may be more vulnerable to potential sequelae following ROP examinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Onuagu
- Department of Neonatology, Mountain View Hospital Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Fumiyuki Gardner
- Department of Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Ajay Soni
- Department of Ophthalmology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Kim K Doheny
- Department of Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
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7
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Lan Q, Li H, Wang L, Chang S. Breastfeeding duration and vagal regulation of infants and mothers. Early Hum Dev 2022; 171:105620. [PMID: 35785691 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2022.105620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vagal regulation within the parasympathetic nervous system supports self-regulation and social engagement. Research has suggested that early feeding practices may influence mother-infant vagal functioning. AIM We aimed to examine the association between breastfeeding duration and mother-infant vagal regulation during an interaction. We hypothesized that breastfeeding duration would be positively associated with adaptive vagal regulation in infants and mothers. METHOD 204 mother-infant dyads (infant mean age 6 months) completed the face-to-face still-face (FFSF) task. During the task, vagal regulation indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA, a component of heart rate variability) was calculated through continuously recorded electrocardiogram signals. Breastfeeding duration and demographic information were reported by mothers. Linear mixed models were adopted to estimate the associations between breastfeeding duration and repeated measures of RSA in infants and mothers throughout the FFSF. RESULTS Infants breastfed for a longer duration demonstrated lower RSA throughout the FFSF (B = -0.06, 95 % CI: -0.09 to -0.03), suggesting active physiological mobilization to engage in interaction and regulate distress. Mothers with longer breastfeeding duration displayed higher baseline RSA and higher overall RSA levels (higher vagal control) during the FFSF (B = 0.06, 95 % CI: 0.02 to 0.09), indicating a calmer and regulated state. CONCLUSION Longer breastfeeding duration was associated with more adaptive mother-infant vagal regulation during the interaction, indicating a positive dose-response association. This finding reveals breastfeeding practice as a factor contributing to infant effective vagal regulation and further supports WHO recommendation on exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and continuing breastfeeding to 24 months and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qili Lan
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongxia Li
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Suying Chang
- United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Office for China, Beijing, China.
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Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment Regulates Autonomic Markers in Preterm Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10050813. [PMID: 35627950 PMCID: PMC9141319 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10050813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) has been found to be effective in the context of premature infants. Nonetheless, no studies have investigated the immediate effects of OMT on heart rate variability (HRV). As altered HRV reflects poor or worsening newborn’s clinical conditions and neurodevelopment, should OMT improve HRV fluctuations, it could become a relevant intervention for improving the care of preterm newborns. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether OMT could affect HRV. The study was carried out at the Buzzi Hospital in Milan. From the neonatal intensive care unit, ninety-six preterm infants (41 males) were enrolled and were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: OMT or Static Touch. The infants were born at 33.5 weeks (±4.3) and had a mean birth weight of 2067 g (±929). The study had as primary outcome the change in the beat-to-beat variance in heart rate measured through root mean square of consecutive RR interval differences (RMSSD); other metrics were used as secondary and exploratory analyses. Despite the lack of statistically significant results regarding the primary outcomeand some study limitations, compared to static touch, OMT seemed to favor a parasympathetic modulation and improved HRV, which could reflect improvement in newborn’s clinical conditions and development.
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9
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Latremouille S, Lam J, Shalish W, Sant'Anna G. Neonatal heart rate variability: a contemporary scoping review of analysis methods and clinical applications. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e055209. [PMID: 34933863 PMCID: PMC8710426 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neonatal heart rate variability (HRV) is widely used as a research tool. However, HRV calculation methods are highly variable making it difficult for comparisons between studies. OBJECTIVES To describe the different types of investigations where neonatal HRV was used, study characteristics, and types of analyses performed. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Human neonates ≤1 month of corrected age. SOURCES OF EVIDENCE A protocol and search strategy of the literature was developed in collaboration with the McGill University Health Center's librarians and articles were obtained from searches in the Biosis, Cochrane, Embase, Medline and Web of Science databases published between 1 January 2000 and 1 July 2020. CHARTING METHODS A single reviewer screened for eligibility and data were extracted from the included articles. Information collected included the study characteristics and population, type of HRV analysis used (time domain, frequency domain, non-linear, heart rate characteristics (HRC) parameters) and clinical applications (physiological and pathological conditions, responses to various stimuli and outcome prediction). RESULTS Of the 286 articles included, 171 (60%) were small single centre studies (sample size <50) performed on term infants (n=136). There were 138 different types of investigations reported: physiological investigations (n=162), responses to various stimuli (n=136), pathological conditions (n=109) and outcome predictor (n=30). Frequency domain analyses were used in 210 articles (73%), followed by time domain (n=139), non-linear methods (n=74) or HRC analyses (n=25). Additionally, over 60 different measures of HRV were reported; in the frequency domain analyses alone there were 29 different ranges used for the low frequency band and 46 for the high frequency band. CONCLUSIONS Neonatal HRV has been used in diverse types of investigations with significant lack of consistency in analysis methods applied. Specific guidelines for HRV analyses in neonates are needed to allow for comparisons between studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Latremouille
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Justin Lam
- Medicine, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Wissam Shalish
- Division of Neonatology, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Guilherme Sant'Anna
- Division of Neonatology, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Québec, Canada
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10
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Müller-Oerlinghausen B, Eggart M, Norholt H, Gerlach M, Kiebgis GM, Arnold MM, Moberg KU. [Touch Medicine - a complementary therapeutic approach exemplified by the treatment of depression]. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 2021; 147:e32-e40. [PMID: 34921360 PMCID: PMC8841210 DOI: 10.1055/a-1687-2445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Haut-zu-Haut-Berührung stellt die ursprünglichste Sinneserfahrung von Mensch und Tier dar. Ein Mangel an Berührung in der Kindheit ist mit negativen Folgen für die psychosoziale und körperliche Gesundheit verbunden. Für die Entdeckung von Rezeptoren für Temperatur und Berührung im Körper wurde 2021 der Medizin-Nobelpreis verliehen. Klinische Studien belegen den Nutzen von professionellen Berührungstechniken zur Prävention und Therapie verschiedener Erkrankungen. Der breiten Anwendung einer professionellen Berührungstherapie gilt jedoch bis heute nur ein geringes klinisches Interesse. Wir schlagen eine neue Fachdisziplin der „Berührungsmedizin“ vor und spannen nachstehend einen Bogen zwischen den Erkenntnissen moderner Berührungsforschung und der klinischen Medizin. Exemplarisch steht dabei die Behandlung der primär als Leibkrankheit konzipierten Depression im Vordergrund. Kontrollierte Studien und systematische Übersichten belegen die antidepressive, anxiolytische sowie analgetische Wirksamkeit spezieller Massagetechniken in dieser Indikation. Auch für die Neonatologie, Pädiatrie, Schmerzmedizin, Onkologie und Geriatrie konnte die Wirksamkeit heilsamer Berührung gezeigt werden. Die jeweiligen Wirkmechanismen werden auf verschiedenen Konstrukt-Ebenen diskutiert. Im Vordergrund des internationalen Forschungsinteresses stehen derzeit das Interozeptionskonzept, zum anderen endokrinologische, z. B. oxytocinerge Effekte und die Aktivierung sog. CT-Afferenzen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Müller-Oerlinghausen
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Deutschland.,Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane, Neuruppin, Deutschland
| | - Michael Eggart
- Hochschule Ravensburg-Weingarten, University of Applied Sciences, Fakultät Soziale Arbeit, Gesundheit und Pflege, Weingarten, Deutschland
| | - Henrik Norholt
- SomAffect - The Somatosensory & Affective Neuroscience Group, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Gerlach
- Dr.-Reisach-Kliniken für Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie, Hochgratklinik GmbH & Co. KG, Oberstaufen, Deutschland
| | | | | | - Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skara, Schweden
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11
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Vagal Tone and Proinflammatory Cytokines Predict Feeding Intolerance and Necrotizing Enterocolitis Risk. Adv Neonatal Care 2021; 21:452-461. [PMID: 34847103 DOI: 10.1097/anc.0000000000000959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the leading cause of death due to gastrointestinal disease in preterm neonates; yet, clinicians lack reliable and noninvasive predictive tools. PURPOSE We aimed to test that diminished high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) and elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines would have utility in NEC prediction. METHODS In this multisite prospective study, we enrolled 250 preterm (26-34 weeks' postmenstrual age [PMA]) neonates with physiological stability at 72 hours of life. HRV was measured noninvasively using electrocardiograhic data from standardized cardiorespiratory monitors at postnatal week 1 of life and weekly thereafter until 35 weeks' PMA or discharge; blood was collected for cytokines at postnatal weeks 1 and 3. NEC was diagnosed via Modified Bell's Staging Criteria. RESULTS HF-HRV was decreased at weeks 1 and 2 in neonates (47% females) who developed feeding intolerance or stage 2+ NEC. In addition, these neonates displayed elevated levels of IL-8 at week 1 and increased levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-8 at week 3 of life. Low HF-HRV was associated with elevated IL-6 or IL-8 levels at weeks 1 and 3 of life. Logistic regression indicated that only HF-HRV was a significant predictor of feeding intolerance or NEC development. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH HRV is a promising noninvasive modality for NEC risk detection. The association of low HF-HRV with elevated proinflammatory cytokines provides evidence for a putative role of the vagal cholinergic pathway in NEC pathogenesis. Future studies should focus on application of these techniques to test clinical therapeutics.Video Abstract available at https://journals.lww.com/advancesinneonatalcare/Pages/videogallery.aspx?autoPlay=false&videoId=54.
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Minot KL, Kramer KP, Butler C, Foster M, Gregory C, Haynes K, Lagon C, Mason A, Wynn S, Rogers EE, Liebowitz MC. Increasing Early Skin-to-Skin in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants. Neonatal Netw 2021; 40:242-250. [PMID: 34330874 DOI: 10.1891/11-t-749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early skin-to-skin care (SSC) has been shown to improve outcomes after preterm birth, including improved clinical stability and establishment of breastfeeding. Recent evidence suggests the most unstable infants get the most benefit, yet these infants are not consistently offered opportunities for SSC because of safety concerns and discomfort of the care team. PURPOSE To identify barriers and implement a multidimensional approach to increase SSC within the first 72 hours of life among infants born less than 28 weeks' gestation and less than 1,000 g in a Level IV university-based regional intensive care nursery. METHODS Using Institute of Healthcare Improvement quality improvement methodology, a multidisciplinary team identified barriers to SSC and developed targeted interventions, including a unit-specific protocol; widespread parent, staff, and provider education; and an infant readiness checklist. The primary outcome was the rate of SSC within 72 hours. The balancing measure was the rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Data were collected from monthly chart review and analyzed with statistical process control charts. The aim was to increase SSC within 72 hours of birth from 7 percent to greater than 80 percent within 12 months for infants born less than 28 weeks' gestation or less than 1,000 g. RESULTS Between June 2017 and December 2019, there were 52 extremely preterm infants included in the project (15 preintervention and 37 postintervention). The rate of SSC within the first 72 hours increased from 7 to 84 percent. There has been no increase in any or severe IVH during the project period despite the increased rate of SSC. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Implementation of multidimensional, multidisciplinary interventions for reducing barriers to early SSC in extremely preterm infants resulted in rapid adoption of SSC in the first 72 hours of life without increasing severe IVH in this high-risk population.
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Bellieni CV, Aloisi AM, Doheny KK, Flores-Muñoz MA. Editorial: Neonatal Procedural Pain Management. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:783290. [PMID: 34778155 PMCID: PMC8578120 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.783290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Carlo V Bellieni
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Anna M Aloisi
- Department of Physiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Kim K Doheny
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - María A Flores-Muñoz
- National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Pain Clinic and Palliative Care, General Hospital of Mexico, Mexico, Mexico
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Moberg KU, Handlin L, Petersson M. Neuroendocrine mechanisms involved in the physiological effects caused by skin-to-skin contact – With a particular focus on the oxytocinergic system. Infant Behav Dev 2020; 61:101482. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Chiera M, Cerritelli F, Casini A, Barsotti N, Boschiero D, Cavigioli F, Corti CG, Manzotti A. Heart Rate Variability in the Perinatal Period: A Critical and Conceptual Review. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:561186. [PMID: 33071738 PMCID: PMC7544983 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.561186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) greatly expand the use of technology. There is a need to accurately diagnose discomfort, pain, and complications, such as sepsis, mainly before they occur. While specific treatments are possible, they are often time-consuming, invasive, or painful, with detrimental effects for the development of the infant. In the last 40 years, heart rate variability (HRV) has emerged as a non-invasive measurement to monitor newborns and infants, but it still is underused. Hence, the present paper aims to review the utility of HRV in neonatology and the instruments available to assess it, showing how HRV could be an innovative tool in the years to come. When continuously monitored, HRV could help assess the baby’s overall wellbeing and neurological development to detect stress-/pain-related behaviors or pathological conditions, such as respiratory distress syndrome and hyperbilirubinemia, to address when to perform procedures to reduce the baby’s stress/pain and interventions, such as therapeutic hypothermia, and to avoid severe complications, such as sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis, thus reducing mortality. Based on literature and previous experiences, the first step to efficiently introduce HRV in the NICUs could consist in a monitoring system that uses photoplethysmography, which is low-cost and non-invasive, and displays one or a few metrics with good clinical utility. However, to fully harness HRV clinical potential and to greatly improve neonatal care, the monitoring systems will have to rely on modern bioinformatics (machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms), which could easily integrate infant’s HRV metrics, vital signs, and especially past history, thus elaborating models capable to efficiently monitor and predict the infant’s clinical conditions. For this reason, hospitals and institutions will have to establish tight collaborations between the obstetric, neonatal, and pediatric departments: this way, healthcare would truly improve in every stage of the perinatal period (from conception to the first years of life), since information about patients’ health would flow freely among different professionals, and high-quality research could be performed integrating the data recorded in those departments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Chiera
- Research and Assistance for Infants to Support Experience Lab, Foundation Center for Osteopathic Medicine Collaboration, Pescara, Italy.,Research Commission on Manual Therapies and Mind-Body Disciplines, Societ Italiana di Psico Neuro Endocrino Immunologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Cerritelli
- Research and Assistance for Infants to Support Experience Lab, Foundation Center for Osteopathic Medicine Collaboration, Pescara, Italy
| | - Alessandro Casini
- Research and Assistance for Infants to Support Experience Lab, Foundation Center for Osteopathic Medicine Collaboration, Pescara, Italy
| | - Nicola Barsotti
- Research and Assistance for Infants to Support Experience Lab, Foundation Center for Osteopathic Medicine Collaboration, Pescara, Italy.,Research Commission on Manual Therapies and Mind-Body Disciplines, Societ Italiana di Psico Neuro Endocrino Immunologia, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Cavigioli
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, "V. Buzzi" Children's Hospital, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Carla G Corti
- Pediatric Cardiology Unit-Pediatric Department, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Manzotti
- Research and Assistance for Infants to Support Experience Lab, Foundation Center for Osteopathic Medicine Collaboration, Pescara, Italy.,Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, "V. Buzzi" Children's Hospital, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.,Research Department, SOMA, Istituto Osteopatia Milano, Milan, Italy
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Revisiting the roots of attachment: A review of the biological and psychological effects of maternal skin-to-skin contact and carrying of full-term infants. Infant Behav Dev 2020; 60:101441. [PMID: 32603951 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
During the early period of hypothesis building and empirical testing of attachment theory, a major emphasis was placed on mother-infant physical contact. In spite of this, mother-infant contact has received scant attention amongst attachment and child development researchers in the past decades. Here, a brief theoretical framework for mother-infant contact is presented, drawing on animal studies as well as human studies of preterm infants and neonates. Salient mechanisms may include an extended sensitive period during early infancy, requiring specific somatosensory stimuli for bio-behavioral homeorhesis; oxytocinergic and epigenetic pathways; kinesthetic stimuli and face-to-face proximity allowing for increased social interaction. Studies of extended human mother-full-term infant physical contact have demonstrated positive effects in multiple domains. For infants, these include sleep organization, temperature and heart rate regulation, behavioral response, crying/colic, socio-emotional development, attachment quality, speech development opportunities and mother-child interactions. For mothers, studies demonstrate improved depressive symptomatology, physiological stress regulation, contingent responsivity, breastfeeding and mother-child interactions. Parent-infant attachment quality has gained prominence as a trauma-resilience factor as well as a predictor of adult physical health. The potential role of mother-infant contact as an attachment promoting intervention as well as future research subjects are discussed. Current evidence supports the original attachment research that early maternal touch provision may influence infant socio-emotional development and attachment quality, with positive implications for mother-child relationship functioning.
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Meister AL, Doheny KK, Travagli RA. Necrotizing enterocolitis: It's not all in the gut. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2019; 245:85-95. [PMID: 31810384 DOI: 10.1177/1535370219891971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Necrotizing enterocolitis is the leading cause of death due to gastrointestinal disease in preterm neonates, affecting 5–12% of neonates born at a very-low birth weight. Necrotizing enterocolitis can present with a slow and insidious onset, with some neonates displaying early symptoms such as feeding intolerance. Treatment during the early stages includes bowel rest and careful use of antibiotics, but surgery is required if pneumoperitoneum and intestinal perforation occur. Mortality rates among neonates requiring surgery are estimated to be 20–30%, mandating the development of non-invasive and reliable biomarkers to predict necrotizing enterocolitis before the onset of clinical signs. Such biomarkers would allow at-risk neonates to receive maximal preventative therapies such as careful nutritional consideration, probiotics, and increased skin-to-skin care.Impact statementNecrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating gastrointestinal disease; its high mortality rate mandates the development of non-invasive biomarkers to predict NEC before its onset. This review summarizes the pathogenesis, prevention, unresolved issues, and long-term outcomes of NEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alissa L Meister
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Kim K Doheny
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.,Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - R Alberto Travagli
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
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