Stress during ambulance transportation has been described in adult healthy volunteers where indicators of stress such as heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol increased significantly. In neonates, a few studies have described stress in ambulance with behavioural scales. However, there is no study in neonates assessing both behavioural and physiological indicators of stress simultaneously during ambulance transportation.
To assess the feasibility of a study aiming at identifying stress in clinically stable neonates during ambulance transportation in non-emergency situations.
Stable neonates transported by ambulance from September 2015 to January 2016 were eligible. Physiological and behavioural parameters of stress were measured during the entire transfer procedure, starting on the ward of departure until hospitalisation at destination. Physiological parameters included salivary cortisol concentration, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation. Behavioural parameters were measured with the Comfort Behavior and the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised scales.
Twenty neonates were included. The study proved to be feasible, but collection of saliva for cortisol measurement was problematic. To reach a sufficient amount of saliva, the collection time had to be extended from 90 to 300 s. Physiological parameters demonstrated heterogeneous patterns of stress. Behavioural scores increased during the entire transfer procedure and did not return to baseline values, indicating discomfort, specifically during transfer from the cot into the transport incubator.
Salivary cortisol values were variable. Behavioural measurement of stress provided a more sensitive measure to detect low level of stress, as shown in our sample of stable neonates, during non-emergency transportation.