Oral sucrose to decrease pain associated with arterial puncture in infants 30 to 36 weeks' gestation: a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of oral sucrose solution on pain responses of neonates to arterial puncture compared with neonates who did not receive a sucrose solution.

SUBJECTS

Convenience sample of 47 neonates, 31 to 35 weeks' gestational age.

DESIGN

Double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Changes in pain response during and after an arterial puncture.

METHODS

Infants were randomly assigned to receive a 24% sucrose solution or usual care (comfort measures only) 2 minutes before an arterial puncture. Pain, heart rate, and oxygen saturation were measured before, during, and after an arterial puncture. Chi-square analysis was used to determine group differences, with P < .05 considered significant.

RESULTS

Forty-seven subjects were studied during arterial puncture (sucrose, 24; no sucrose, 23). Neonates receiving sucrose solution had significantly less crying than the no sucrose group, both during and immediately after an arterial puncture (P = .006 and .022, respectively). No significant changes in other pain subscales, heart rate, or oxygen saturation were found during or after the arterial puncture (P > .05).

CONCLUSION

This study found a significant reduction in the crying subscale of the Neonatal Infant Pain subscale immediately after the introduction of an arterial needle in neonates receiving a 24% sucrose solution, compared with those who did not receive sucrose solution. While prior studies found a similar reduction in pain scores after heel and venipuncture needlesticks, this is the first study evaluating a high concentration of oral sucrose to blunt the pain associated with an arterial puncture.