Early human development
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Early human development · May 2007
Factors associated with infant pain response following an immunization injection.
Specific potential determinants of infant pain response were assessed in the context of a 4- or 6-month immunization injection. The distal influences of gender, gestational and current age, temperament, and early nociceptive stimuli were considered, as well as the proximal influences of parental and nurse coping-promoting statements within the treatment room. ⋯ The findings suggest that parental behavior in the treatment room has a key role in influencing how infants respond to painful procedures.
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Early human development · Apr 2007
Measurement of pain-like response to various NICU stimulants for high-risk infants.
Infants during neonatal intensive care are invariably exposed to various procedural and environmental stimuli in which the pain-like responses may vary depending on the nature of the stimuli and the infants' condition. ⋯ Full-term infants tended to express more distinct pain-like responses to invasive procedures or direct contacts than premature infants did. However, PIPP may be more sensitive to evaluate the negative effects of environmental auditory stimulants, particularly for premature infants receiving neonatal intensive care. Further study to refine these instruments may increase the clinical feasibility of pain measurements in high-risk infants.
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Early human development · Jan 2007
Salivary cortisol in preterm infants: Validation of a simple method for collecting saliva for cortisol determination.
The increased use of salivary cortisol as a biomarker of stress and/or diurnal rhythms has facilitated research of Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA)function. Saliva collection remains problematic with preterm infants. The twofold purpose of this study is to 1) establish validity of the filter paper method for saliva collection and 2) apply the filter paper method for saliva collection to preterm infants. ⋯ The filter paper method is a valid method of saliva collection that is feasible to use with preterm infants.
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Early human development · Jan 2007
Newborn skin temperature two days postpartum during breastfeeding related to different labour ward practices.
To investigate (1) the skin temperature pattern in newborns two days after birth in connection to breastfeeding and to examine (2) if the administration of epidural analgesia (EDA) and oxytocin (OT) infusion during labour influences this parameter at this point of time. ⋯ The results show that the skin temperature in newborns rises when newborns are put skin-to-skin to breastfeed two days postpartum. This effect on temperature may be hampered by medical interventions during labour such as EDA.
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Recognition that volume, not pressure, is the key factor in ventilator-induced lung injury and the association of hypocarbia and brain injury dictate the need to better control delivered tidal volume. Volume-controlled ventilation, though much improved, still suffers from loss of volume due to endotracheal tube leak and gas compression in the circuit. Recent microprocessor-based modifications of pressure-limited, time-cycled ventilators combine advantages of pressure-limited ventilation with the ability to deliver a more consistent tidal volume. ⋯ The Volume Guarantee mode, studied most thoroughly, provides automatic weaning of peak pressure in response to improving lung compliance and respiratory effort. More consistent tidal volume, fewer excessively large breaths, lower peak pressure, less hypocarbia and lower levels of inflammatory cytokines have been documented. It remains to be seen if these short-term benefits translate into shorter duration of ventilation or reduced incidence of chronic lung disease.