Reduction of pain response in premature infants using intraoral sucrose.
The potential of sucrose to reduce the pain response in a group of healthy premature infants was investigated. Fifteen infants of 32-34 weeks postmenstrual age were tested in a blind crossover manner on two separate occasions no more than two days apart. Either 1 ml of 25% sucrose solution or sterile water was syringed into the baby's mouth 2 minutes before routine heel lancing. Response to the painful stimuli was measured by duration of cry and by facial expression (pain score). There was a significant reduction in the duration of first cry, the percentage of time spent crying in the 5 minutes after heel prick, and the pain score in the sucrose treated group. It is concluded that sucrose has analgesic effects in healthy premature infants.
Ramenghi
L A
LA
Division of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Leeds School of Medicine.
Wood
C M
CM
Griffith
G C
GC
Levene
M I
MI
D000284:Administration, Oral; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D006365:Heel; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007267:Injections; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000187:drug effects; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D013395:Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D013395:Sucrose