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: L A Ramenghi, C M Wood, G C Griffith, M I Levene
• Journal: Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition (Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed) Vol. 74 Issue 2 Pg. F126-8 (Mar 1996) ISSN: 1359-2998 [Print] England
• PMID: 8777660 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Sucrose

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Blood Specimen Collection
• Cross-Over Studies
• Heel
• Humans
• Infant, Newborn
• Infant, Premature
• Injections
• Nociceptors (drug effects)
• Pain (prevention & control)
• Pain Measurement
• Sucrose (administration & dosage)