Effect of Sucrose 30% on Hepatitis B Vaccine Injection Pain Relief in Full Term Infants

Several studies have shown that sucrose intake results in pain relief during painful procedures among neonates. The effect of sucrose intake on intramuscular injection pain have less been studied. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of oral sucrose 30% on pain relief of Hepatitis B vaccine injection in full-term infants. In this triple-blinded clinical trial, 61 infants were selected and randomly allocated into two intervention and control groups. Two minutes before intramuscular injection of Hepatitis B vaccine, infants in the intervention group received 2 ml of oral sucrose 30%. Infants in the control group received the same amount of sterile distilled water orally. Before the injection, immediately, and five minutes after the injection, infants’ pain was assessed using the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale. Finding showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding sex, gestational age, birth weight, mode of delivery, and mean pain severity prior to injection. Pain severity was significantly reduced immediately and five minutes after the injection in the intervention group (p<0/05). Intake of oral sucrose 30% decreased vaccine injection pain. It can be used in clinic.