Skin conductance monitoring for premature infants on ventilators.
Pain Assessment Using Skin Conductance Measurement During Different Types of Invasive Ventilation in Newborn Infants
We will try tiny electrodes on a premature baby's foot to see if changes in skin conductance reflect pain from different ventilator settings and whether skin-to-skin care lowers that stress.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Ages | 22 Weeks and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Uppsala University Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Uppsala, Uppland) |
| Trial ID | NCT07568418 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational study enrolls mechanically ventilated premature newborns and adds noninvasive electrodes on the infant's foot to record skin conductance signals. Researchers will compare skin conductance during different ventilator settings and around episodes of skin-to-skin (kangaroo) care while infants are managed per routine clinical protocols. No changes to standard respiratory support are made for the measurements, and data are collected alongside regular clinical monitoring. Infants with other distracting painful conditions or facial/neuromuscular abnormalities that prevent visual pain assessment are excluded.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Premature infants who require mechanical ventilation and do not have other painful conditions or facial/neuromuscular abnormalities are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Infants with additional painful conditions, facial or neuromuscular disorders that prevent visual pain assessment, or those not on mechanical ventilation are unlikely to benefit from this measurement approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, skin conductance could provide a simple, continuous way to detect and reduce stress in ventilated preterm infants, for example by guiding ventilator adjustments or prompting skin-to-skin care.
How similar studies have performed: Prior neonatal studies have shown skin conductance can reflect acute pain responses, but its use specifically during mechanical ventilation and to guide skin-to-skin interventions is still being studied.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Need for mechanical ventilation Exclusion Criteria: * Other distracting painful conditions * Facial malformation or neuromuscular disease, not allowing regular visual pain assessment
Where this trial is running
Uppsala, Uppland
- Uppsala University Children's Hospital — Uppsala, Uppland, Sweden (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Johanna T Walan, Student Researcher
- Email: johanna.walan@uu.se
- Phone: +46704184255
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.