Comparison of 4 analgesic agents for venipuncture

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Pain Management
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Venipuncture is a common procedure associated with patient discomfort and pain.
• Effective analgesic agents are crucial for improving patient experience during venipuncture.
• Comparing topical and subcutaneous agents is essential for optimizing pain relief.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy and convenience of four different analgesic agents for venipuncture.
• To evaluate pain on application, pain during venipuncture, cost, and convenience of lidocaine-prilocaine cream, dichlorotetrafluoroethane spray, subcutaneous lidocaine, and benzyl alcohol.
• To identify the optimal analgesic agent for venipuncture based on patient and procedural factors.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 280 preoperative subjects.
• Four groups received different analgesic agents: topical lidocaine-prilocaine cream (LPC), dichlorotetrafluoroethane spray (DCTF), subcutaneous lidocaine, or subcutaneous benzyl alcohol (BA).
• Pain was assessed using a verbal descriptor scale (application) and visual analogue scale (venipuncture); cost and convenience were also evaluated.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in pain on application were observed, with DCTF being most painful and LPC least painful.
• Subcutaneous lidocaine was less painful during venipuncture than LPC and DCTF, but not significantly different from BA.
• Benzyl alcohol (BA) and lidocaine were the least expensive and most convenient agents, with BA demonstrating ideal analgesic properties.

Conclusions:

• Benzyl alcohol (BA) emerged as the most suitable analgesic agent for venipuncture, offering a favorable profile of low pain, cost-effectiveness, and convenience.
• While subcutaneous lidocaine showed good results, its pain on application was less ideal than BA.
• The findings support the consideration of benzyl alcohol as a primary analgesic option for venipuncture procedures.