Pain assessment scales in newborns: integrative review

Children's Pain Identification Based on Skin Potential Signal

Pain management is a crucial concern in medicine, particularly in the case of children who may struggle to effectively communicate their pain. Despite the longstanding reliance on various assessment scales by medical professionals, these tools have shown limitations and subjectivity. In this paper, we present a pain assessment scheme based on skin potential signals, aiming to convert subjective pain into objective indicators for pain identification using machine learning methods. We have designed and implemented a portable non-invasive measurement device to measure skin potential signals and conducted experiments involving 623 subjects. From the experimental data, we selected 358 valid records, which were then divided into 218 silent samples and 262 pain samples. A total of 38 features were extracted from each sample, with seven features displaying superior performance in pain identification. Employing three classification algorithms, we found that the random forest algorithm achieved the highest accuracy, reaching 70.63%. While this identification rate shows promise for clinical applications, it is important to note that our results differ from state-of-the-art research, which achieved a recognition rate of 81.5%. This discrepancy arises from the fact that our pain stimuli were induced by clinical operations, making it challenging to precisely control the stimulus intensity when compared to electrical or thermal stimuli. Despite this limitation, our pain assessment scheme demonstrates significant potential in providing objective pain identification in clinical settings. Further research and refinement of the proposed approach may lead to even more accurate and reliable pain management techniques in the future.

Efficacy of Skin-to-Skin Care versus Swaddling for Pain Control Associated with Vitamin K Administration in Full-Term Neonates: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to assess the efficacy of immediate skin-to-skin care (SSC) versus swaddling in pain response to intramuscular injection of vitamin K at 30 min of birth in neonates.

METHODS

Healthy full-term newborns were enrolled immediately after normal vaginal delivery and randomized in two groups, SSC and swaddling. Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS) was measured before, immediately after and at 2 min after the injection.

RESULTS

Total 100 newborns were enrolled in the study (50 in each group). The mean (SD) birth weight of newborns in the SSC and swaddling group was 2668 (256) and 2730 (348) g, respectively. NIPS was comparable between the SSC and swaddling at before [1.78 (0.58) vs. 1.96 (0.83), p = 0.21], and immediately after the injection [4.82 (0.72) vs. 5.08 (0.75), p = 0.08]. NIPS at 2 min after the injection was significantly low in the SSC group compared to the swaddling group [1.38 (0.70) vs. 2.88 (1.00), p < 0.001]. At 2 min after injection, the NIPS score was significantly lower than baseline in the SSC group (p = 0.002), while it was significantly higher in the swaddling group (p < 0.001). A significantly higher proportion of newborns had a NIPS score of more than three at 2 min after injection in the swaddling group as compared to the SSC group (22% vs. 2%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Immediate SSC was more efficacious as compared to swaddling as a pain control intervention while giving vitamin K injection.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

The trial is registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of India with Registration number: CTRI/2020/01/022984.

Assessment and Management of Pain in Preterm Infants: A Practice Update

Infants born preterm are at a high risk for repeated pain exposure in early life. Despite valid tools to assess pain in non-verbal infants and effective interventions to reduce pain associated with medical procedures required as part of their care, many infants receive little to no pain-relieving interventions. Moreover, parents remain significantly underutilized in provision of pain-relieving interventions, despite the known benefit of their involvement. This narrative review provides an overview of the consequences of early exposure to untreated pain in preterm infants, recommendations for a standardized approach to pain assessment in preterm infants, effectiveness of non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic pain-relieving interventions, and suggestions for greater active engagement of parents in the pain care for their preterm infant.

Avoiding use of lid speculum and indentation reduced infantile stress during retinopathy of prematurity examinations

PURPOSE

To study the safety and efficacy of indirect ophthalmoscopy with (Sp) or without (speculum free, SpF) the use of lid speculum and scleral indentation for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening.

METHODS

In this crossover randomized controlled trial, preterm infants received either the Sp on their first and the SpF technique on their second examination a week later or vice versa. Video recordings of the infants' reactions were assessed by two observers, using Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised score and the crying score of the Bernese Pain Scale for Neonates. Fundoscopy adequacy, its duration and adverse events within the first 24 hr postscreening were also recorded.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven infants with median (interquartile range) gestational age of 28.7 (28.0, 30.2) weeks and mean (standard deviation, SD) birth weight 1225 (377) grams were enrolled. The mydriasis-induced stress was similar between the Sp and SpF exam (mean difference [MD]: 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.83, 2.38; p = 0.33). The stress induced by fundoscopy (MD: 4.98, 95% CI: 3.58, 6.37; p < 0.001) and examination overall (MD: 2.32, 95% CI: 0.96, 3.67; p = 0.001) were higher in the Sp than in the SpF exam, and so was the crying score during fundoscopy (MD: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.56; p < 0.001). Adverse events in the two groups were similar (p = 0.13). Fundoscopy was adequate in identifying the absence of treatment-requiring ROP in all cases, and lasted longer in the Sp than in the SpF exam (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that the use of speculum and indentation should be reserved for the few cases where fundus visualization is insufficient for excluding the presence of severe ROP.

Turkish validity and reliability of the COVERS pain scale

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to determine the Turkish validity and reliability of COVERS.

METHODS

This study was conducted on 41 newborns as methodological design. The scales, such as newborn information form, COVERS, preterm infant pain profile (PIPP), and neonatal infant pain scale (NIPS), were used in the study. Validity (e.g., language, content concurrent, and construct) and internal consistency and inter-rater reliability of the scale were conducted.

RESULTS

It was found that COVERS showed a high correlation with PIPP and NIPS, and the item-total correlation of COVERS was above 0.30 during and after heel lance procedure. The Cronbach's α values were 0.77 and 0.83 during and after heel lance procedure, respectively. The kappa values of the items of COVERS were between 0.38 and 0.78 during heel lance procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

It was concluded in this study that there was a moderate correlation in intraclass correlation coefficients for scores of COVERS during both diaper change and heel lance procedures. It has been concluded that the scale is valid and reliable in 27-week-old and older newborns.

The validity of skin conductance for assessing acute pain in mechanically ventilated infants: A cross-sectional observational study

BACKGROUND

Assessing pain in mechanically ventilated infants is challenging. The assessment of skin conductance (SC) is based on the sympathetic nervous system response to stress. This study purpose was to evaluate the validity of SC for assessing pain in mechanically ventilated infants.

METHODS

A prospective cross-sectional observational design was used to study SC and its relation to: the category of procedure (i.e., painful or non-painful); the phase of procedure (i.e., before, during and after), and referent pain measurements (i.e., Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R) and Neonatal Facial Coding System (NFCS)). Eligible infants were those up to 12 months of age, in intensive care units, who were mechanically ventilated, and required painful and non-painful procedures.

RESULTS

From October 2017 to November 2018, 130 eligible infants were identified, and 55 infants were studied. SC (number of waves per second) during painful procedures (median 0.27, interquartile range 0.2-0.4) was statistically significantly higher than those during non-painful procedures (0, 0-0.09). SC during painful procedures was statistically significantly higher than those before (0, 0-0.07) and after painful procedures (0, 0-0.07). SC showed moderate statistically significant positive correlations with PIPP-R (Spearman's rho = 0.4-0.62) and the four-item NFCS (Spearman's rho = 0.31-0.67) before, during and after painful or non-painful procedures respectively. SC had excellent performance (area under the receiver operator curve = 0.979) with excellent sensitivity (92.31%), specificity (95.42%) and negative predictive value (99.21%) but only sufficient positive predictive value (66.67%) when used to discriminate moderate-to-severe pain.

CONCLUSIONS

SC showed good validity for assessing pain in critically ill infants requiring mechanical ventilation.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Pain assessment in mechanically ventilated infants is challenging. In this study, the validity of skin conductance (SC) for pain assessment is evaluated in the same population of infants during painful and nonpainful procedures. SC showed good validity for assessing acute pain in relation to category of procedure, phase of procedure, and referent pain measurements. SC is a promising method, especially with other pain assessment methods and other determinants of pain, in a multimodal pain assessment approach to understand the complexity of pain in mechanically ventilated infants.

Identification of Neonatal Infant Pain Assessment Tools as a Possibility of Their Application in Clinical Practice in Croatia: An Integrative Literature Review

OBJECTIVES

This article presents an integrative review of the literature with the aim of identifying instruments already in existence for measuring neonatal infant pain with a view to exploring possibilities of applying them in clinical practice in Croatia.

DESIGN

An integrative review.

DATA SOURCES

The databases searched included MEDLINE, Cinahl Cochrane Library, and Science Direct. The search was limited to available full-text articles in English published between 1990 and 2020. The studies were selected according to the PRISMA strategy and evaluated based on the methodologic framework proposed by Whittemore and Knafl.

REVIEW/ANALYSIS METHODS

The research identified 13 scales for assessing pain in neonatal infants, including 5 one-dimensional and 8 multidimensional scales that assess acute and prolonged pain in preterm and full-term infants.

RESULTS

Overall, the articles in this review confirm that pain is a multidimensional phenomenon and that professionals should consider other specific characteristics of the neonatal infant population while measuring pain.

CONCLUSIONS

Our review showed that various tools exist assessing pain in neonatal infants that could be used in clinical practice in Croatia. However, it is difficult to determine the most appropriate instrument at this stage, as the choice depends on various factors that still need to be considered. The decision on which pain scale to use or which is more appropriate should be based on further psychometric tests, its accuracy, and ease of use.

The use and reporting of neonatal pain scales: a systematic review of randomized trials

ABSTRACT

The burden of pain in newborn infants has been investigated in numerous studies, but little is known about the appropriateness of the use of pain scales according to the specific type of pain or infant condition. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the reporting of neonatal pain scales in randomized trials. A systematic search up to March 2019 was performed in Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Luxid. Randomized and quasirandomized trials reporting neonatal pain scales were included. Screening of the studies for inclusion, data extraction, and quality assessment was performed independently by 2 researchers. Of 3718 trials found, 352 with 29,137 infants and 22 published pain scales were included. Most studies (92%) concerned procedural pain, where the most frequently used pain scales were the Premature Infant Pain Profile or Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (48%), followed by the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (23%). Although the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale is validated only for acute pain, it was also the second most used scale for ongoing and postoperative pain (21%). Only in a third of the trials, blinding for those performing the pain assessment was described. In 55 studies (16%), pain scales that were used lacked validation for the specific neonatal population or type of pain. Six validated pain scales were used in 90% of all trials, although not always in the correct population or type of pain. Depending on the type of pain and population of infants included in a study, appropriate scales should be selected. The inappropriate use raises serious concerns about research ethics and use of resources.

Regional anesthesia in neonates and infants outside the immediate perioperative period: A systematic review of studies with efficacy and safety considerations

This review examines the quality and quantity of literature regarding methods that measure efficacy in the context of reported safety of regional anesthesia techniques in preterm and term infants <1 year of age. Because the role of anesthesiologists continues to expand outside the operating room, we focused on all relevant settings with assessments that extend beyond 24 hours from the intraoperative period. All study designs were included from a search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, and Cochrane databases from 1946 to the end of 2019. A total of 31 studies were included (n = 1038 participants), consisting of five randomized controlled trials and 26 observational studies. Twenty-three studies examined neuraxial procedures, seven studies examined peripheral procedures, and one study examined both. Efficacy measures included pain assessment tools, analgesic use, and factors pertaining to the recovery of patients. Safety was assessed in multiple systems (neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, pathological) and with vital signs and/or measures of systemic toxicity. Evidence in this review establishes that neuraxial and peripheral anesthesia treatments may be applied to neonates and infants with a high degree of safety. However, large gaps in the consistency of methods used to assess pain in these studies underline the need for rigorous prospective efficacy studies of these techniques in this population. This systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42018114466).

Knowledge and Practices in Neonatal Pain Management of Nurses Employed in Hospitals with Different Levels of Referral-Multicenter Study

Background: One of the key elements of patient care is the relief and prevention of pain sensations. The importance of pain prevention and treatment has been emphasized by many international organizations. Despite the recommendations and guidelines based on evidence, contemporary research shows that the problem of pain among patients in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in various centers is still an important and neglected problem. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge of the medical personnel and their perception of the issue of pain in neonatal patients. Methods: A quantitative descriptive study carried out in 2019. The study used a nurses’ perceptions of neonatal pain questionnaire. Results: A total of 43 Polish hospitals and 558 respondents participated in the project. 60.9% (n = 340) and 39.1% (n = 218) of respondents were employed in secondary and tertiary referral departments, respectively. Conclusion: Our analyses indicate that despite the availability of pain assessment tools for neonatal patients, only a few centers use standardized tools. The introduction of strategies to promote and extend the personnel’s awareness of neonatal pain monitoring scales is necessary.

Pain Assessment and Management in Swedish Neonatal Intensive Care Units

AIMS

To investigate registered nurses' (RNs') and physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and experiences regarding assessing and managing pain in infants at seven level III neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Sweden.

DESIGN

Descriptive and explorative study using an online questionnaire.

METHODS

A researcher-developed online questionnaire with 34 items about knowledge, attitudes, and experiences regarding pain assessment and management was emailed to 306 RNs and 79 physicians working at seven neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Sweden.

RESULTS

Most NICUs had pain assessment guidelines, but there was a discrepancy regarding interprofessional discussions of pain assessments. A total of seven different pain assessment instruments were reported from the included NICUs and RNs were reportedly those who usually performed the pain assessments. Most respondents expressed a positive attitude toward pain assessment but recognized a lack of intervention after the assessment. Forty-six percent (n = 11) of the physicians said they had sufficient knowledge of assessing pain using pain assessment instruments, versus 75% (n = 110) of the RNs. Difficulties assessing pain in certain populations of infants, such as the most premature infants and infants receiving sedative medicines, were recognized.

CONCLUSIONS

RNs in this study reported that their pain assessments did not lead to appropriate pain management interventions. They were thus discouraged from further pain assessments or advocating for ethical pain management. An interprofessional team effort is needed to effectively assess and manage pain in neonates.

Clinical and Economic Analysis of Morphine Versus Fentanyl in Managing Ventilated Neonates With Respiratory Distress Syndrome in the Intensive Care Setting

PURPOSE

Morphine and fentanyl opioids are common analgesic agents for consideration in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and undergoing mechanical ventilation (MV). The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and economic impact of morphine versus fentanyl in neonates with RDS undergoing MV.

METHODS

Retrospective cost-effectiveness analysis of critically ill neonates with RDS receiving standard doses of morphine versus fentanyl at Women's Wellness and Research Center, Qatar. Clinical data of neonates were extracted from medical records of patients from 2014 to 2016. A decision analytic model based on the hospital's perspective was constructed to follow possible consequences of the initial dosing of analgesia, before potential titration. Primary end points were successful pain relief rate based on the Premature Infant Pain Profile scale and overall direct medical cost of therapy. Study population of 126 neonates was used to achieve results with 80% power and 0.05 significance. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to enhance robustness of conclusions against input uncertainties and to increase generalizability of results.

FINDINGS

Morphine achieved a success of 68% versus 43% with fentanyl (risk ratio = 1.72; 95% CI, 1.16-2.56; P = 0.0075). Morphine was associated with a minimal incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of USD 135 per additional case of successful pain relief over fentanyl. Higher morphine cost was reported in 2% of cases. Sensitivity analysis found model insensitivity to input uncertainties except NICU stay and cost of MV.

IMPLICATIONS

This is the first cost-effectiveness evaluation of morphine versus fentanyl in the NICU. Morphine significantly improved the relieve of pain over fentanyl. It had 98% probability of dominance over fentanyl. Results in this study support the use of morphine over fentanyl as first-line monotherapy with MV in NICU settings.

Behavioral and Physiological Signs for Pain Assessment in Preterm and Term Neonates During a Nociception-Specific Response: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND/GOAL

Assessment and treatment of neonatal pain is difficult because current scales are rarely validated against brain-based evidence. We sought to systematically evaluate published evidence to extract validation of the most promising markers of neonatal pain.

METHODS

We searched four databases using germane MeSH terms. We focused on assessments of pain and/or nociception that had at least two measures among behavioral, physiological, or cortical components in preterm and/or term neonates. We evaluated studies for quality of evidence and strength of recommendations using standardized tools.

RESULTS

Fifteen articles met our inclusion criteria. Among the behavioral components uncovered in this review, the withdrawal reflex and changes in facial expression are the most strongly associated with nociception-specific brain activity. These associations may be influenced by gestational age and change over time. Physiological signs, such heart rate and oxygen saturation, have little to no association with this type of response.

CONCLUSIONS

Current assessments of neonatal pain include behavioral components that are associated with nociceptive processing, but also other less valid components, while omitting newer measures based on neuroscientific research.

Assistance flowchart for pain management in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe and discuss the process of developing a flowchart collectively constructed by the health team of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for the management of neonatal pain. Method: This is a descriptive and an exploratory study with a qualitative approach that used Problem-Based Learning as a theoretical-methodological framework in the process of developing the assistance flowchart for the management of neonatal pain. Results: Based on this methodology, there was training in service and the discussion of key points of pain management by the health team, which served as input for the construction of the flowchart. Final considerations: The assistance flowchart for pain management, based on scientific evidence, provided means to facilitate the decision-making of the health team regarding the pain of the newborn. It is suggested to use the flowchart frequently to promote the permanent education of the team and identify possible points to be adjusted.

Sedation, Analgesia, and Paralysis during Mechanical Ventilation of Premature Infants

OBJECTIVE

To characterize administration of sedatives, analgesics, and paralytics in a large cohort of mechanically ventilated premature infants.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study including all infants <1500 g birth weight and <32 weeks gestational age (GA) mechanically ventilated at 348 Pediatrix Medical Group neonatal intensive care units from 1997 to 2012. The primary outcome is the proportion of mechanically ventilated days in which infants were administered drugs of interest. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the predictors of administration of drugs of interest.

RESULTS

We identified 85 911 mechanically ventilated infants. Infants received a drug of interest (opioids, benzodiazepines, other sedatives, and paralytics) on 433 587/1 305 413 (33%) of mechanically ventilated infant days. The administration of opioids increased during the study period from 5% of infant days in 1997 to 32% in 2012. The administration of benzodiazepines increased during the study period from 5% of infant days in 1997 to 24% in 2012. Use of paralytics and other drugs remained ≤1% throughout the study period. Predictors of drug administration included younger GA, small for GA status, male sex, presence of a major congenital anomaly, older postnatal age at intubation, exposure to high-frequency ventilation, exposure to inotropes, more recent year of discharge, and neonatal intensive care unit site.

CONCLUSIONS

Administration of opioids and benzodiazepines in mechanically ventilated premature infants increased over time. Because infant characteristics were unchanged, site-specific differences in practice likely explain our observations. Increased administration over time is concerning given limited evidence of benefit and potential for harm.