title: The effects of comfort care on the pain response in preterm infants undergoing screening for retinopathy of prematurity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine if pain and distress during the retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening examination could be ameliorated by providing comfort care.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a prospective, randomized, controlled trial of 30 stable preterm infants who underwent initial ROP screening examinations. Fourteen study infants were swaddled, held, and given 24% sucrose solution during the examination. Sixteen controls were examined while lying in their cribs. Vital signs (i.e., pulse rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation), crying time, and time for the vital signs to return to baseline values were recorded at different times during the examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The vital signs did not vary significantly between the two groups. The participants in the control group had a trend of longer crying time, but this trend did not reach a level of statistical significance. In addition, The time required for the vital signs to return to their baseline values did not vary significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ROP screening is very distressful for preterm infants. The routine use of comfort care to reduce pain during the examination could not be supported by this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Northwest Texas Healthcare Systems, Amarillo, Texas 79106, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.forename: Sloan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.forename: Farshid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ighani
authors.forename: Brady
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irwin
authors.forename: Mubariz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naqvi
mesh_terms: D003448:Crying; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010146:Pain / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005791:Patient Care / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012890:Sleep; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen