Does Repeated Painful Stimuli Change Cerebral Near-infrared Spectroscopy Response in Healthy Term Large for Gestational Age Newborns?

PubMedID: 31651426Objective: To evaluate the effect of repeated painful stimuli on short-Term pain response in healthy, term, large for gestational age (LGA) newborns by measuring the regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2), behavioral and physiological responses. Methods: We compared term LGA infants who received repeated painful stimuli (study group) to term, appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants (control group). A pulse oximeter and a near-infrared spectroscopy probes were connected to babies during the study period and babies were recorded by video, from which the crying time, and Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS), were obtained. The heart rate (HR), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and rScO2 data were sampled every 1 second and exported to a personal computer via digital output during the study period. The maximum HR, the minimum SpO2, peak, baseline and mean rScO2 measurements following skin puncture were recorded. Data was compared within one group and between the two groups. Results: After the heel prick, crying time (P<0.001) and NIPS scores (P=0.024) increased and SpO2 levels decreased significantly (P=0.012) in the study group versus the control group. Although mean rScO2 increased significantly within one group (P<0.001), it was not significant between the two groups. The percent change in rScO2 was greater in the study group [5.2 (2.5-9.3)] compared to the control group [2.8(1.1-8.2), P=0.037)]. Conclusion: We showed that rScO2 values changed significantly within the first few days of life in babies who received more painful stimuli compared to the control group, similar to behavioral and physiological responses. © 2019 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved