title: Evaluating the efficacy of EMLA in alleviating pain associated with lumbar puncture; comparison of open and double-blinded protocols in children.
abstract: Potential benefit of the topical anesthetic EMLA prior to lumbar puncture was studied in children with cancer. Comparison was made between 2 types of study: the first one involved 10 children who were enrolled in a double-blind placebo-controlled study and in the second, 18 children in an open crossover study. Although both studies suggested the favourable effects of EMLA in alleviating pain associated with LP, they illustrated the need to perform such studies in a controlled blinded fashion; the effect in the double-blind study was not apparent in some cases, whereas it was clear cut in all open cases.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.Canada Divisions of Clinical Pharmacology and Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont.Canada.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kapelushnik
authors.forename: Gideon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koren
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Solh
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: Levert
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: DeVeber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077442:Lidocaine, Prilocaine Drug Combination; D008297:Male; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010919:Placebos; D011318:Prilocaine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012107:Research Design; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000077442:Lidocaine, Prilocaine Drug Combination; D010919:Placebos; D011318:Prilocaine; D008012:Lidocaine