title: Neonatal pain analyzer: development and validation.
abstract: We developed a pain analyzer (ABC analyzer) to perform automatic acoustic analysis of neonatal crying and to provide an objective estimate of neonatal pain. The ABC analyzer uses a validated pain scale (ABC scale) based on three acoustic parameters: pitch frequency, normalized RMS amplitude, and presence of a characteristic frequency- and amplitude-modulated crying feature, defined as "siren cry". Here we assessed the reliability of the analyzer. We enrolled 57 healthy neonates. Each baby was recorded with a video camera during heel prick. Pain intensity was evaluated using a validated scale [Douleur Aigue du Nouveau-Né (DAN) scale] and the analyzer and the two scores were compared. We found a statistically significant concordance between the DAN score and ABC analyzer score (p < 0.0001). The ABC analyser is a novel approach to cry analysis that should now have its properties carefully evaluated in a series of studies, just as is necessary in the development of any other pain measurement tool.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, ISPESL, Monteporzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sisto
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Bellieni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perrone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buonocore
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D003448:Crying / Q000502:physiology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013018:Sound Spectrography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods