Comparing the Effect of Oral Sucrose, Breast Milk and EMLA Cream on Acute Pain during Venipuncture in Full Term Neonates

Newborns are more sensitive to pain than adults and are more susceptible to the short and long term complications of pain. So، it is necessary to use procedures for reducing pain in newborns. The present study was done to assess the effects of oral sucrose، breast milk and EMLA cream on acute pain during venipuncture in hospitalized term neonates in Amirkola pediatric hospital، Babol، Iran. This clinical trial study was performed on 120 full term neonates with hyperbilirubinemia. All neonates were in the same and stable conditions. They were randomly allocated in four groups (30 persons in each group). In group one (control) no intervention done; group two and three received 2 ml of 25% oral sucrose and in group four، EMLA cream was used. Along with venipuncture، the scale of DAN (Douleur Aigue Nouveau-ne scale) and crying time was measured and recorded. Physiologic indicators (heart rate، respiratory rate and arterial blood oxygen saturation) at first and five minutes after venipuncturing was measured and recorded by pulse oximeter. Average DAN scale in four groups of control، sucrose، breast milk and EMLA cream were 31. 63± 2. 62، 87. 8± 2. 6، 5. 63±1. 4، 6. 27±3. 06، respectively (p=0. 03). Douleur Aigue Nouveau-ne scale between sucrose group and control group in comparison to other groups showed meaningful relationship (p<0. 05). In reviewing physiologic indices، there was meaningful statistical difference in respiratory rate between sucrose group and control group immediately after intervention (p=0. 029) but there was not any significant difference in other variables (crying time، heart rate and arterial blood oxygen saturation) in four groups. Oral sucrose decreases the severity of pain and respiratory rate immediately after intervention in neonates. Considering oral sucrose as an inexpensive، safety and easy to get method compared to other methods، so it is recommended to use it before venipuncture procedure.