Oral glucose as an analgesic to reduce infant distress following immunization at the age of 3, 5 and 12 months.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate oral glucose as an analgesic to reduce infant distress after immunization during the first year of life and to investigate if these effects change during this period.


METHODS
A prospective controlled trial of the effectiveness of glucose on crying response to immunizations at 3, 5 and 12 months of age. A total of 110 infants were randomized to receive 2 mL of 30% glucose or water. The same solution was given at 3, 5 and 12 months. Crying was registered from onset of the injection up to 120 seconds. Infanrix Polio Hib was administered intra-muscular in the thigh. Observation nurse and parents were blind to the nature of the solution.


RESULTS
Administration of glucose reduced the mean crying time by 22% at 3 months, 62% at 5 months and 52% at 12 months. The difference was significant at 5 and at 12 months. In the water group, there was a significant correlation between the children who cried at 3 months and who subsequently cried at 5 and 12 months. No correlations were found in the glucose group.


CONCLUSIONS
Sweet solution can be used as a simple and safe method to reduce the distress following immunization in infants up to 12 months.
Thyr
Margit
M
Department of Children's Health, Bollnäs Health Centre, Bollnäs, Sweden. margit.thyr@lg.se
Sundholm
Anneli
A
Teeland
Lawrence
L
Rahm
Vivi-Anne
VA
D000284:Administration, Oral; D003448:Crying; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D019999:Pharmaceutical Solutions; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D019999:Pharmaceutical Solutions; D013549:Sweetening Agents; C122182:diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-Hib-hepatitis B vaccine; D005947:Glucose