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Biomedical subjects

A Jack

Publications and source records attributed to A Jack.

58 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

The efficacy of developmentally sensitive interventions and sucrose for relieving procedural pain in very low birth weight neonates.

BACKGROUND: Procedural pain management for very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates has been minimal or nonexistent in most neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of developmentally sensitive behavioral interventions (nonnutritive sucking via a pacifier, positioning) and sucrose for relieving procedural pain in VLBW infants and to determine the influence of contextual factors (gestational age, postnatal age, birth weight, severity of illness, frequency of painful procedures) on pain response. METHOD: In a prospective randomized crossover trial, pain was assessed in 122 VLBW neonates using the Premature Infant Pain Profile following four randomly ordered interventions during consecutive routine heel lance procedures. RESULTS: Significant differences in pain existed among treatment interventions (F = 16.20, p < .0001). The pacifier with sucrose (F = 24.09, p < .0001) and pacifier with sterile water (F = 9.00, p = .003) significantly reduced pain. Prone positioning did not decrease pain (F = 2.24, p = .137). Frequency of painful procedures approached significance in influencing pain response (F = 3.59, p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: The most efficacious interventions for reducing pain from single painful events were the pacifier with sucrose and the pacifier with sterile water. Research on the efficacy and safety of implementing these interventions, alone and in combination, for repeated painful procedures is needed. In addition, research is needed on the influence of implementing these interventions on pain response and clinical outcomes (e.g., health status and neurodevelopmental status) in VLBW neonates in the NICU.

Blood Specimen Collection↗

Factors explaining lack of response to heel stick in preterm newborns.

OBJECTIVE: To determine factors explaining lack of response by preterm newborns to heel stick for blood sampling. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design based on secondary analysis of the control session of a randomized crossover design. SETTING: Four Level III neonatal intensive-care units of university teaching hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: 120 preterm newborns with an average age of 28 weeks postconceptional age. INTERVENTION: 24 newborns who showed a "no change" response according the Premature Infant Pain Profile were compared to the remaining 96 newborns who had shown a pain response. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age (postconceptional age at birth, postnatal age at study), Apgar score at 5 minutes, severity of illness, sex, race, wake/sleep state, previous study sessions, total number of painful procedures since birth, and time since last painful procedure. RESULTS: After stepwise logistic regression analysis the variables remaining in the final model that explained the difference between the groups were postnatal age at time of study, postconceptional age at birth, time since last painful procedure, and wake/sleep state. CONCLUSIONS: Newborns who were younger, asleep, and had undergone a painful event more recently were less likely to demonstrate behavioral and physiologic indicators of pain.

Age Factors↗

[Hepatocellular carcinoma: a preventable cancer].

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and a public health concern in many developing countries. The main risk factor is the chronic carriage state of the hepatitis B virus which is found in about 20% of the adult population in many African and Asian countries. Other important risk factors are HCV infection, aflatoxin exposure and alcohol consumption. The Gambia Hepatitis Intervention Study was launched in 1986 with the aim of evaluating the efficacy of the hepatitis B vaccination, given in early infancy, in preventing HBV infection, its chronic carriage status, and later, HCC. For this purpose, a randomised vaccine trial was designed and carried out. Over a period of four years a total of 124.577 children were recruited, one half received the usual EPI vaccines (BCG, DTP, OPV, measles, yellow fever) and the other half the hepatitis B vaccine in addition to the EPI ones. Hepatitis B vaccination has been successfully integrated into the "Expanded Programme of Immunization" in The Gambia, since every new born baby can receive this vaccination in addition to the EPI vaccine. The first mid point evaluation showed that in four-year-old children, hepatitis B vaccine efficacy was 84% in preventing infection and 94% in preventing chronic carriage status of HBV. Other mid point evaluations are still ongoing. A nationwide Cancer Registry was set up to detect HCC cases in the cohort under study. Follow-up through the Cancer Registry is planned for the next 30 years.

Adult↗