A lignocaine-prilocaine cream reduces venipuncture pain.

A new, topical anaesthetic formulation, EMLA 5% cream (Eutectic Mixture of Local Anaesthetics), and placebo have been compared in a randomized double-blind study of 51 children. The objectives were to test if EMLA diminishes pain from venipuncture, to evaluate possible adverse reactions, and to determine if there is any influence upon the ease with which the insertion procedure is carried out. Pain was evaluated using a three-graded verbal rating scale. EMLA relieved pain significantly better than placebo (p less than 0.001), and the procedure was considered to be easier after EMLA treatment. No oedema occurred, but a few cases of local redness and paleness were observed after EMLA treatment. However, these reactions were clinically insignificant. It is concluded that EMLA significantly reduces pain from venipuncture, and side effects are mild and transient.