Effect of Touch Methods in Preterm Infants During Endotracheal Aspiration

Izmir Democracy University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Endotracheal Aspiration

Treatments: Other: Gentle Human Touch; Other: Yakson touch; Other: Routine care

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06308991

IDU-SBF-SD-01

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of gentle human touch (GHT) and Yakson methods during endotracheal suctioning on pain, comfort and physiologic parameters response in preterm infants.

Full description

Background: Preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit are exposed to various painful procedures, so different non-pharmacological pain control techniques are used to alleviate pain.

Aims: To determine the effect of gentle human touch (GHT) and Yakson methods during endotracheal suctioning on pain, comfort and physiologic parameters response in preterm infants.

Design: A randomized controlled crossover trial. Setting: This study was conducted in the neonatal intensive care unit between July 2022 and June 2023.

Methods: Thirty neonates were enrolled in this study based on inclusion criteria. The samples were randomly received a sequence of suctioning with Yakson and GHT and routine care. Neonatal Pain Agitation and Sedation Scale and COMFORT neo were used to collect the data.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 26 to 36 weeks old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Infants in the 26-36/6 gestational week and at appropriate gestational age (AGA)
• Infants undergoing ventilator support with an endotracheal tube

Exclusion criteria

• Infants taking opiates and sedatives within four hours, having undergone a painful procedure at least one hour before
• Infants congenital anomalies, sepsis or haemorrhagic disease that might prevent Yakson and GHT
• Infants who underwent surgery and had a chest tube
• Infants with intracranial hemorrhage

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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30 participants in 3 patient groups

Yakson touch

Experimental group

Description:

The Yakson method continued for 15 minutes with steady touch (5 minutes), compassionate caressing (5 minutes), and repetition of steady touch (5 minutes). In the Yakson touch method, the palms of the practitioner and all fingers were kept in close contact so that the infants did not feel pressure. 1. Steady touch (5 minutes): One hand rested on the chest and abdomen of the preterm infant, while the other hand supported the back and hip of the preterm infant. 2. Compassionate Caress (5 minutes): In the same hand position, the practitioner repeated caressing and resting for 5 minutes: Caress (1 minute), rest (30 seconds), caress (1 minute), rest (30 seconds), and caress (2 minutes). The practitioner caressed the infants' chest and belly with a 1 cm diameter clockwise circular movement every 10 seconds. 3. Steady touch (5 minutes): The practitioner followed the steady touch procedure as previously described.

Treatment:

Other: Yakson touch

Gentle Human Touch

Experimental group

Description:

While the practitioner placed one hand on the crown of the preterm infant on the eyebrow line with the fingertip touch for 15 minutes, the other hand was placed on the lower abdomen covering the waist and hip of the infant.

Treatment:

Other: Gentle Human Touch

Routine Care

Other group

Description:

All infants in the control, Yakson, and GHT groups were applied swaddling as the routine practice of the clinic before and during painful procedures.

Treatment:

Other: Routine care