Acute cardiac care & resuscitationRandomised controlled trial
Optimal site of tactile stimulation during initial steps of neonatal resuscitation: a three-arm randomized controlled trial
- three-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial
- intention-to-treat analysis
Authors' conclusion
There was no difference in 5-min SpO2, need for further resuscitation in DR, cerebral oxygenation, and in-hospital complications with the three modes of TS, sole rub, trunk rub and back rub.
Study context
- Population
- Non-crying neonates ≥32 weeks' gestation at birth, during initial steps of resuscitation in the delivery roomneonates randomized
- Participants
- 183 neonates
- Comparison
- three different sites of tactile stimulation (TS)
- sole rubn = 60
- trunk rubn = 60
- back rubn = 63
- Primary endpoint
- SpO2 (%)
- Follow-up
- 5 min
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
- No difference across the groups
- P = 0.392
Secondary outcomes
Minute-specific changes in HR and SpO2 · till 10 min
- Comparable across the groups
FiO2 requirement · 2-10 min
- Higher in the back rub group, though the difference did not reach statistical significance
Other outcomes including CrSO2 and in-hospital complications
- Similar
Original publication
Optimal site of tactile stimulation during initial steps of neonatal resuscitation: a three-arm randomized controlled trial. Resuscitation. Published 26 June 2026. doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2026.111190
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it