A new method of blood sampling reduces pain for newborn infants: a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial.
BACKGROUND
Using a new simple blood glucose measurement device (Free Style), blood can thus be sampled from the forearm, which is less sensitive to pain than from the heel. Measuring the blood glucose levels in newborn infants using Free Style is therefore a potentially less painful testing modality than traditional blood sampling methods.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the pain intensity at the time of blood sampling from the forearm using the Free Style with the conventional method from the heel.


METHODS
A prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial.


METHODS
Sixty healthy neonates were randomized by the sealed envelope method into two groups-Group F, in which blood was sampled from the forearm using the Free Style, and Group H, in which blood was conventionally sampled from the heel using a lancet. The pain intensity was assessed based on their crying, the Neonatal Facial Coding System (NFCS) and the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS).


RESULTS
After skin puncture, 12 (40%) of the infants cried in Group F and 27 (90%) in Group H. The duration of crying was also significantly shorter in Group F than in Group H. Both of pain scores between the two groups differed significantly, these findings indicated less pain for Group F.


CONCLUSIONS
The new blood sampling method from the forearm was found to be less painful than the conventional method, thus making it possible to clinically use this product as an innovative method for blood sampling in neonatal medicine.
Sato
Yoshiaki
Y
Department of Pediatrics, Anjo Kosei Hospital, Anjo, Aichi, Japan. yoshiakisato@nifty.com
Fukasawa
Tatsuya
T
Hayakawa
Masahiro
M
Yatsuya
Hiroshi
H
Hatakeyama
Makiko
M
Ogawa
Akimasa
A
Kuno
Kuniyoshi
K
D001786:Blood Glucose; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000379:methods*; D005542:Forearm; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies
D001786:Blood Glucose