title: Post-operative benefits of animal-assisted therapy in pediatric surgery: a randomised study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interest in animal-assisted therapy has been fuelled by studies supporting the many health benefits. The purpose of this study was to better understand the impact of an animal-assisted therapy program on children response to stress and pain in the immediate post-surgical period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty children (3-17 years) were enrolled in the randomised open-label, controlled, pilot study. Patients were randomly assigned to the animal-assisted therapy-group (n = 20, who underwent a 20 min session with an animal-assisted therapy dog, after surgery) or the standard-group (n = 20, standard postoperative care). The study variables were determined in each patient, independently of the assigned group, by a researcher unblinded to the patient's group. The outcomes of the study were to define the neurological, cardiovascular and endocrinological impact of animal-assisted therapy in response to stress and pain. Electroencephalogram activity, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, cerebral prefrontal oxygenation, salivary cortisol levels and the faces pain scale were considered as outcome measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After entrance of the dog faster electroencephalogram diffuse beta-activity (> 14 Hz) was reported in all children of the animal-assisted therapy group; in the standard-group no beta-activity was recorded (100% vs 0%, p<0.001). During observation, some differences in the time profile between groups were observed for heart rate (test for interaction p = 0.018), oxygen saturation (test for interaction p = 0.06) and cerebral oxygenation (test for interaction p = 0.09). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were influenced by animal-assisted therapy, though a higher variability in diastolic pressure was observed. Salivary cortisol levels did not show different behaviours over time between groups (p=0.70). Lower pain perception was noted in the animal-assisted group in comparison with the standard-group (p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Animal-assisted therapy facilitated rapid recovery in vigilance and activity after anaesthesia, modified pain perception and induced emotional prefrontal responses. An adaptative cardiovascular response was also present.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02284100.
authors.affiliation: Department of the Mother and Child Health, Pediatric Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Calcaterra
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Neurology and Psychiatry C. Mondino National Neurological Institute, Pavia, Italy; Brain and Behaviour Department, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierangelo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Veggiotti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palestrini
authors.affiliation: Brain and Behaviour Department, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Giorgis
authors.affiliation: Department of the Mother and Child Health, Pediatric Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raschetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Neurology and Psychiatry C. Mondino National Neurological Institute, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tumminelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mencherini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Papotti
authors.affiliation: Biometry & Clinical Epidemiology, Scientific Direction, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klersy
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Albertini
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Surgery Unit, Department of the Mother and Child Health, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Selene
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ostuni
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Surgery Unit, Department of the Mother and Child Health, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy; Department of Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pelizzo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D056447:Animal Assisted Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy