Abstract
Background: In comparision with children and adults pain in the newborn infants is under assessed and under managed. Recently oral sweet solutions such as sucrose has been used for painful procedures in neonates. In this study we assessed the efficacy of 25% dextrose for managing of infants pain in neonatal peripheral venepuncture.
Methods: In a randomized controlled clinical trial, 60 term neonates were enrolled in study. They were randomized to receive oral dextrose(20%) or sterile water. Two minutes before venepuncture one group received 2 ml oral 20% dextrose and for the other group 2 ml oral sterile water was administered. Pain reactions were scored with CRIES pain scoring system, Crying time and heart rate at 5 minutes after venepuncture were recorded.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference between two groups of neonates in respect to gestational age, birth weight, gender and postnatal age. There were significantly lower pain score and shorter crying time in dextrose group after venepuncture(CRIES pain score: 2.23 ± 1.45 vs 6.17 ± 1.66 P<.001), (Duration of crying (sec) : 2.83 ± 1.64 vs 16.97 ± 8.49 P<.001) respectively. Heart rate at 5 minutes after venepuncture was not significantly different between two groups.
Conclusion: Using oral dextrose solution is a useful, non expensive and non pharmacologic method for managing pain of venepuncture in neonates.
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Peirovifar, A., Gharehbaghi, M. 477 The Effect of Oral Dextrose on Pain Relief of Newborn Infants. Pediatr Res 68 (Suppl 1), 244 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00477
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00477