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Can Nitroglycerine Ointment Facilitate Newborn Heelstick Blood Collection? A Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal of Perinatology volume 23, pages 304–306 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Newborn heelstick blood collection can be a painful procedure in part because of the time required to obtain sufficient quantity of blood. No previous studies have determined whether local vasodilatation using topical nitroglycerine ointment (NGO) would facilitate heelstick blood collection.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the topical application of NGO would reduce the time needed to collect the required amount of blood for newborn metabolic screening and, in turn, reduce the pain/distress of the procedure.

STUDY DESIGN: In a randomized, prospective, placebo controlled and blinded fashion, term newborns in a well nursery received either topical nitroglycerine or placebo ointment 10 minutes prior to heelstick. Total time and number of heelsticks required to complete the collection were measured along with crying time, heart rate and blood pressure.

RESULTS: In all, 50 were studied, 25 in each group. There was no statistical difference between groups in collection time, crying time or number of heelsticks required for completion. Heart rate increased significantly and equally in both groups. Blood pressures were unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS: Topical NGO did not facilitate heelstick blood collection or reduce the pain/distress of the procedure.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the maternity/newborn nursing staff at Hartford Hospital for their support in patient enrollment and study and Stephen Aucion, RPH for preparation of study ointments.

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Author notes

  1. Laura M Cecchi BS

    Present address: University of Vermont College of Medicine,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Trinity College, Connecticut Children's Medical Center Hartford, CT, USA

    Laura M Cecchi BS

  2. Division of Neonatology, Connecticut Children's Medical Center Hartford, CT, USA

    Victor C Herson MD

  3. Department of Research, Connecticut Children's Medical Center Hartford, CT, USA

    Trudy Lerer MS

  4. The University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA

    Victor C Herson MD

Authors
  1. Laura M Cecchi BS
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  2. Trudy Lerer MS
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  3. Victor C Herson MD
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Additional information

Presented in part at the American Academy of Pediatrics' Annual Meeting, Chicago, ILL, October 2000.

Topical nitroglycerine ointment did not facilitate heelstick blood collection for routine metabolic screening in term infants.

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Cecchi, L., Lerer, T. & Herson, V. Can Nitroglycerine Ointment Facilitate Newborn Heelstick Blood Collection? A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Perinatol 23, 304–306 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7210902

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7210902

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