Long-term impact of systematic pain and sedation management on cognitive, motor, and behavioral outcomes of extremely preterm infants at preschool age.

BACKGROUND: Providing optimal pain relief is a challenging task when caring for premature infants. The aim of this study was to compare the long-term cognitive, motor, and behavioral outcomes of preterm infants before and after the implementation of a pain and sedation protocol. In addition, we investigated whether the increased opiate administration resulting after the implementation process had an impact on these outcomes. METHODS: Cognitive outcomes were evaluated using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC), neuromotor examinations were based on Amiel-Tison, and behavioral outcomes were assessed using the parent-reported Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). RESULTS: One hundred extremely preterm infants were included in the study (control group, n = 53; intervention group, n = 47). No significant differences were found in cognitive and motor outcomes at preschool age. However, every increase in the cumulative opiate exposure for each 100 mg/kg was weakly significantly associated with a higher risk for autism spectrum features (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.822, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.231-2.697]; P = 0.03) and withdrawn behavior (aOR = 1.822, 95% CI [1.231-2.697]; P = 0.03) at preschool age. CONCLUSION: Increased neonatal cumulative opiate exposure did not alter cognitive and motor outcomes but may represent a risk factor for autism spectrum and withdrawn behavior at preschool age. IMPACT: The implementation of a protocol for the management of pain and sedation in preterm infants resulted in increased cumulative opiate exposure. Our study adds further evidence that increased neonatal opiate exposure did  not alter cognitive and motor outcomes but may yield a potential risk factor for autism spectrum disorders and withdrawn behavior at preschool age. A vigilant use of opiates is recommended. Further studies are needed looking for novel pain management strategies and drugs providing optimal pain relief with minimal neurotoxicity.

Hydrocortisone administration for reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating disorder that is often accompanied by alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary (HPA) axis. While there is abundant evidence for the efficacy of psychological therapies in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms, barely anything is known about pharmacological interventions. Given the role of the HPA axis in the pathophysiology of PTSD, the aim of this study was to provide the first meta-analysis of Hydrocortisone as a potential treatment for this condition. METHOD: A systematic review of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to investigate the efficacy of hydrocortisone in the prevention and curative treatment of post-traumatic stress symptoms. This study was pre-registered with the OSF (doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/GJAZF). FINDINGS: Eight studies (9 effect sizes) covering 362 participants met our inclusion criteria. We found that Hydrocortisone as compared to placebo significantly reduced PTSD symptoms (d = 0.96, 95% Cl 0.22-1.69 p = 0.011) and PTSD incidence (logRR = 0.85, 95% CI 1.12-1.59, p = 0.023). Subgroup analyses revealed a significant effect of Hydrocortisone when it was administered in a preventative context (d = 1.50; 95%CI 0.30-2.69, p = 0.014), but not when it was administered in a curative context (d = 0.28; 95%CI -0.11 to 0.66, p = 0.161). CONCLUSION: Hydrocortisone appears to be a promising and efficient low-cost medication for the prevention of PTSD. However, the small number of included studies and their limited methodological quality emphasize the need for further rigorous studies in this field.

Pain and Sedation Scales for Neonatal and Pediatric Patients in a Preverbal Stage of Development: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Because children in a preverbal stage of development are unable to voice their feelings, they completely depend on their caregiving team for the interpretation and management of their pain and discomfort. Thus, accurately validated scales to assess pain and sedation levels are crucial. Objective: To provide clinicians a complete overview on the validity and reliability of the existing pain and sedation scales for different target populations (preterm infants, term infants, and toddlers) and in different clinical contexts. Evidence Review: BIOSIS Previews, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycCRITIQUES, PsycINFO, PSYNDEXplus Literature and Audiovisual Media, and PSYNDEXplus Tests were the databases screened from their inception to August 2018. All studies examining the validity or reliability of a given pain or sedation scale for patients in a preverbal stage of development were included in this systematic review. Those scales that were tested for at least construct validity, internal consistency, and interrater reliability were subsequently scored using the consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments (COSMIN) checklist. Findings: In total, 89 validation articles comprising 65 scales were included. Fifty-seven scales (88%) were useful for assessing pain, 13 scales (20%) for assessing sedation, and 4 scales (6%) for assessing both conditions. Forty-two (65%) were behavioral scales, and 23 (35%) were multidimensional scales. Eleven scales (17%) were validated for infants on mechanical ventilation. Thirty-seven scales (57%) were validated for preterm infants, 24 scales (37%) for term and preterm infants, 7 scales (11%) for term-born children, 7 scales (11%) for preterm infants, term infants, and toddlers, and 17 scales (26%) for term infants and toddlers. Twenty-eight scales (43%) considered construct validity, internal consistency, and interrater reliability. Conclusions and Relevance: Clinicians should consider using scales that are validated for at least construct validity, internal consistency, and interrater reliability, combining this information with the population of interest and the construct the scale is intended to measure.