Effects of Kangaroo Mother Care on Repeated Procedural Pain and Cerebral Oxygenation in Preterm Infants.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE\n\u2003The study aimed to investigate the effects of kangaroo mother care (KMC) on repeated procedural pain and cerebral oxygenation in preterm infants.\n\n\nSTUDY DESIGN\n\u2003Preterm infants of 31 to 33 weeks of gestational age were randomly divided into an intervention group (n\u2009=\u200936) and a control group (n\u2009=\u200937). Premature infant pain profile (PIPP) scores, heart rate, oxygen saturation, regional cerebral tissue oxygenation saturation (rcSO2), and cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction (cFTOE) were evaluated during repeated heel stick procedures. Each heel stick procedure included three phases: baseline, blood collection, and recovery. KMC was given to the intervention group 30\u2009minutes before baseline until the end of the recovery phase.\n\n\nRESULTS\n\u2003Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed lower PIPP scores and heart rates, higher oxygen saturation, and rcSO2 from the blood collection to recovery phases during repeated heel sticks. Moreover, there were significant changes in cFTOE for the control group, but not the intervention group associated with repeated heel stick procedures.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\n\u2003The analgesic effect of KMC is sustained over repeated painful procedures in preterm infants, and it is conducive to stabilizing cerebral oxygenation, which may protect the development of brain function.\n\n\nKEY POINTS\n· KMC stabilizes cerebral oxygenation during repeated heel sticks in preterm infants.. · The analgesic effect of KMC is sustained over repeated painful procedures in preterm infants.. · KMC may protect the development of brain function..