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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Pain reactivity in preterm neonates: examining the sex differences

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Author(s):
Valeri, B. O. [1] ; Gaspardo, C. M. [1] ; Martinez, F. E. [2] ; Linhares, M. B. M. [1]
Total Authors: 4
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, Dept Neurosci & Behav, BR-05508 Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, Dept Pediat, BR-05508 Sao Paulo - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 2
Document type: Journal article
Source: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PAIN; v. 18, n. 10, p. 1431-1439, NOV 2014.
Web of Science Citations: 4
Abstract

BackgroundEarly and repeated experiences of pain may have long-term effects on vulnerable newborns hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and neonatal pain responses may be affected by a variety of factors that neonates encounter. We tested the hypothesis that male preterm neonates exhibited greater pain sensitivity than females by assessing biobehavioural pain reactivity and recovery patterns to painful procedure. MethodsFifty-three infants born preterm and low birthweight who were admitted to NICU were observed during five phases (baseline, antisepsis, puncture, recovery-dressing and recovery-resting). Behavioural pain reactivity was measured using the Neonatal Facial Coding System (NFCS) and the Sleep-Wake States Scale (SWS). The heart rate (HR) was continuously recorded. All measures were assessed based on scores and magnitude of responses. ResultsWe found that male and female preterm neonates had similar patterns of behavioural pain reactivity and recovery; there were no statistical differences between groups in NFCS and SWS scores. However, male preterm infants presented higher HR immediately in the first minute of the puncture phase and also higher change in maximum HR between the baseline and puncture phases, than female preterm infants. ConclusionAlthough we found that male infants showed higher physiological reactivity to painful stimulus in some HR parameters than female infants, the evidences were not sufficient to confirm the influence of sex on biobehavioural response to pain in vulnerable neonates. (AU)