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Updated: Aug 30, 2026
Electrophysiological Measurements and Analysis of Nociception in Human Infants
Published on: December 20, 2011
Oral sucrose for procedural pain in sick hospitalized infants: a randomized-controlled trial
D Harrison1, L Johnston, P Loughnan
1Department of Neonatology Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. denise.harrison@rch.org.au
Insights
Oral sucrose effectively reduced pain behaviors in hospitalized infants during and after heel lance procedures. This simple intervention offers a promising strategy for managing procedural pain in sick babies.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal pain management
- Pediatric procedural pain
Background:
- Heel lance procedures are common and painful for hospitalized infants.
- Effective, non-pharmacological pain relief strategies are needed for this vulnerable population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of 25% oral sucrose in alleviating pain during heel lance procedures in sick hospitalized infants.
Main Methods:
- A blinded, randomized controlled trial involving 128 hospitalized infants.
- Infants received either 1 mL of 25% sucrose or 1 mL of water 2 minutes before heel lance.
- Pain was assessed using facial expression scores, crying duration and incidence, and physiological measures (heart rate, oxygen saturation).
Main Results:
- Sucrose significantly reduced facial pain scores immediately after heel lance and during the recovery period (P < 0.05).
- Crying incidence and duration were significantly lower in the sucrose group during the 3-minute recovery period post-procedure (P < 0.05).
- No significant differences in crying during the procedure or in physiological responses were observed between groups.
Conclusions:
- 25% oral sucrose is effective in reducing behavioral pain responses in sick hospitalized infants undergoing heel lance.
- Sucrose administration is a simple, promotable strategy for managing procedural pain in institutional settings caring for infants.
Objective:
To determine the efficacy of 25% oral sucrose in the reduction of pain during a heel lance procedure in sick hospitalized infants.
Methodology:
In a blinded randomized- controlled trial, hospitalized infants were given either 1 mL 25% sucrose or 1 mL water 2 min prior to a heel lance procedure. Pain assessment comprised a four-point facial expression score, incidence and duration of crying, heart rate and oxygen saturation changes.
Results:
A total of 128 infants were included. Facial scores immediately upon heel lance, and at 1 and 2 min in the recovery period were reduced in the treatment (sucrose) group compared to the placebo (water) group (P < 0.05). At other observation points, the differences in facial scores between the two groups of infants did not reach statistical significance. Neither incidence nor duration of crying whilst the blood collection was in progress was significantly reduced by sucrose. In the 3-min recovery period following completion of the blood collection, incidence and duration of crying were significantly less in the treatment group of infants (P < 0.05). Physiological responses of heart rate and oxygen saturation were not attenuated by sucrose at any time point during or following the blood collection.
Conclusion:
Oral sucrose was effective in reducing behavioural responses to pain upon heel lance and in the period following completion of a heel lance procedure in this group of sick hospitalized infants. This simple strategy can be promoted in institutions caring for sick babies, as a method of reducing behavioural responses to procedural pain.
