Abstract
Background and aims: In term neonates venepuncture is considered less painful than heel lance for blood sampling. Here, we compared the effects of venepuncture and heel lance blood sampling in preterm infants < 1500 g birth weight.
Methods: Twenty infants (median [range] birth weight 855 [355 - 1470] g, gestational age 28 [24 - 32] weeks) were studied during sequentially performed venepuncture and heel lance blood sampling. Heart rate and arterial oxygen saturation were registered continuously. Cerebral tissue oxygenation index (TOI) was measured by near infrared spectroscopy. Cerebral fractional oxygen extraction (FOE) was calculated.
Results: During both procedures, heart rate increased and TOI decreased significantly. The decrease in TOI was significantly larger during venepuncture (from 64 [45-99]% to 57 [47-95%]) than during heel lance blood sampling (from 68 [51-99]% to 63 [47-99] %, p=0.05). Arterial oxygen saturation decreased and FOE increased during venepuncture only.
Conclusions: Our results indicate that - in contrast to term neonates - for preterm infants venepuncture is more stressful than heel lance blood sampling.
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Hess, N., Hüning, B. & Roll, C. 319 Effects of Blood Sampling on Cerebral Tissue Oxygenation Index (TOI) in VLBW Infants: Venepuncture Versus Heel Lance. Pediatr Res 68 (Suppl 1), 164 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00319
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00319