Rushforth J A, Levene M I
Academic Unit of Paediatrics and Child Health, General Infirmary at Leeds.
Arch Dis Child. 1993 Sep;69(3):388-9. doi: 10.1136/adc.69.3.388.
It has been suggested that sucrose acts as an analgesic in the neonatal period. To evaluate this further, 52 infants received either 2 ml of 7.5% sucrose or 2 ml of sterile water before heel stab blood sampling. The duration of crying in response to sampling did not differ in the two groups but was related to level of arousal at the time of stimulation.