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The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of 2 analgesic strategies for venipuncture in children in a specific setting like a blood-drawing center” Cozzi et al (2018).

Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: Venipuncture is one of the most frequently performed painful procedures in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of 2 analgesic strategies for venipuncture in children in a specific setting like a blood-drawing center.

METHODS: This was a prospective randomized controlled trial. It was conducted in the blood-drawing center of a tertiary level children’s hospital in Italy, between November 2014 and February 2015. Eligible patients were children aged from 4 to 12 years referred to the blood-drawing center for venipuncture. Enrolled children were randomized to be distracted by Buzzy device or by playing with a handheld computer. The procedural pain was measured with the faces pain scale-revised by children aged from 4 to 7 years and with a numerical rating scale by children aged from 8 to 12 years.

RESULTS: Two hundred children with a median age of 8 years were enrolled in the study. The self-reported procedural pain was not statistically different between the Buzzy group and the handheld computer group: median (interquartile range) = 3.0 (1.0-4.8) and 2.0 (1.0-4.8), respectively (P = 0.72). Children reported significant pain in 25% of cases with both distraction strategies. The procedural success rate at the first attempt was not significantly different in the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Analgesia provided by Buzzy or by a handheld computer was not significantly different in children undergoing venipuncture in a blood-drawing center, with the great proportion of them reporting no or mild pain during procedure.

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Reference:

Cozzi, G., Crevatin, F., Dri, V., Bertossa, G., Rizzitelli, P., Matassi, D., Minute, M., Ronfani, L. and Barbi, E. (2018) Distraction Using Buzzy or Handheld Computers During Venipuncture. Pediatric Emergency Care. December 27th. [epub ahead of print].

doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000001689.