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Oral Glucose Solution as Pain Relief in Newborns: Results of a Clinical Trial
Author(s) -
Dilen Ben,
Elseviers Monique
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
birth
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.233
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1523-536X
pISSN - 0730-7659
DOI - 10.1111/j.1523-536x.2010.00389.x
Subject(s) - venipuncture , medicine , placebo , anesthesia , neonatal intensive care unit , pain assessment , clinical trial , pain scale , randomized controlled trial , pain relief , pain management , surgery , pediatrics , pathology , alternative medicine
Background: It was long believed that newborns could not experience pain. As it is now documented that newborns have all the necessary systems to perceive pain, pain management can no longer be ignored. The objective of this study is to investigate which concentration of glucose is most effective in reducing pain for venipuncture in the newborn.Methods: This double‐blind clinical trial of 304 newborns was conducted on a maternity and neonatal ward (neonatal medium intensive care unit). During at least 1 month, one of the four selected solutions (10, 20, 30% glucose, and placebo) was administered orally, 2 minutes before the venipuncture was performed. The pain from the skin puncture was scored using a validated pain scale (the “Leuven Pain Scale”).Results: This study showed a significantly lower average pain score in the 30 percent glucose group (3.99) when compared with the placebo group (8.43). The average pain scores in the 20 percent glucose group (5.26) and the 10 percent glucose group (5.92) were also significantly lower than those in the placebo group.Conclusion: Oral administration of 2 mL of 30 percent glucose 2 minutes before the venipuncture provides the most effective pain reduction in newborns. (BIRTH 37:2 June 2010)