Pain biobehavioral reactivity in preterm neonates and exposure to environmental stress of the NICU

Abstract

This research project aims to compare the reactivity and biobehavioral recovery to pain of preterm newborns when they are receiving a acute painful procedure, in three groups differentiated by gestational age, and associate the reactivity and biobehavioral recovery to the levels of environmental stress experimented by the newborns in NICU. The study sample will consist of 50 newly born preterm with very low birth weight admitted to the NICU. Newborns will be divided into three groups according to their gestational age (GA): extreme preterm (PTE Group, GA <28 weeks), very preterm (MPT, GA between 28 and 31 weeks) and moderated preterm (PtMo Group, GA between 32 and 33 weeks). Data collection will include observation of the biobehavioral reactivity of newborns during blood collection procedure. It will be held the record of facial activity of the newborn for later analysis by the NFCS, and the state of wakefulness and sleep and heart rate are recorded in appropriate protocols on the edge of the incubator. For evaluating the stress experienced in the environmental context of the NICU, the NISS scale will be applied, using data from the medical and nursing record review of the patient. Statistical analysis of comparison between groups will be held through Kruka-Wallis test to assess biobehavioural reactivity, comparing the three groups and then using the Student t test, comparing two groups respectively. A correlation analysis of Person will also be performed to verify the association between biobehavioural reactivity to pain and the levels of exposure to the stress of the NICU. The level of significance in the study will be of p d 0.05 for all tests. (AU)