title: Reduction of pain response in premature infants using intraoral sucrose.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Leeds School of Medicine.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ramenghi
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Levene
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D013395:Sucrose