Heart rate response to intravenous catheter placement.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between change in heart rate and pain and anxiety caused by intravenous catheter (IV) placement.


METHODS
An observational study was performed in a university-based tertiary care emergency department. Patients who required IV placement as part of their management were considered as possible subjects. Heart rates were recorded at the following times: baseline, tourniquet placement, and IV placement. Immediately after IV placement, subjects recorded pain and anxiety scores using 100-mm visual analog scales. Percentage change in heart rate (compared with baseline) was calculated at time of tourniquet placement (anxiety) and IV placement (pain). Simple linear regression analyses were performed comparing pain scores with percent change in heart rate at the time of IV and tourniquet placement. Significance was defined as p < 0.05.


RESULTS
Ninety subjects were enrolled. Subjects had a mean age of 48 years, and 54% were women. There was a normal distribution of heart rate changes, with greater than 80% of all subjects having a 10% or less change in heart rates. The results of the analysis of pain scores versus percentage change in heart rate at IV placement yielded a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.13 (p = 0.2). The results of the analysis of anxiety scores versus percentage change in heart rate at tourniquet placement yielded a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.014 (p = 0.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in heart rate do not correlate with pain and anxiety associated with IV placement.
Bartfield
Joel M
JM
Department of Emergency Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, USA. bartfij@mail.amc.edu
Janikas
John S
JS
Lee
Ryan S
RS
D000328:Adult; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain; D010147:Pain Measurement