The role of time interval elimination on pain control of preterm infants by sucrose administration.

PURPOSE: The 2-min time interval of sucrose administration given before minor painful procedures in preterm infants is based on a few limited studies. We aimed to assess availability of sucrose analgesia in emergency states of minor procedural pain by eliminating the 2-min time interval prior to heel lance in preterm infants. The primary outcome was Premature Infants Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R) at 30 and 60 s.

METHODS

Healthy 69 preterms undergoing a heel lance, who were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 groups, i.e., group I, with the 2-min time interval of per oral 24% sucrose given prior to heel lance, or group II, without a time interval of per oral 24% sucrose, were recruited. Premature Infants Pain Profile-Revised, crying incidence, duration, and heart rate at 30 and 60 s following heel lance were the outcome measures in this single-center, randomized, prospective study.

RESULTS

The 2 groups did not differ significantly in PIPP-R scores at 30 s (6.63 vs. 6.32, p = .578) and 60 s (5.80 vs. 5.38, p = .478). The crying incidence was similar between the 2 groups (p = .276). The median crying duration was 6 s (range: 1-13 s) in group I and 4.5 s (range: 1-18 s) in group II (p = .226). No significant differences in the heart rates between the 2 groups and the proportion of adverse events by time interval elimination were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

Eliminating the time interval did not decrease the analgesic effect of orally administered 24% sucrose given prior to heel lance. In emergency states of minor procedural pain, eliminating the 2-min time interval following sucrose administration is safe and efficacious in preterm infants.