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Published on: November 29, 2017
Oral dextrose for analgesia in neonates during nasogastric tube insertion: a randomised controlled trial
Arjun Ravishankar1, Rajat Thawani, Pooja Dewan
1Department of Paediatrics, University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital, Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India.
Aim:
This study aims to determine if oral dextrose solution can mitigate the pain response to nasogastric tube (NGT) insertion in neonates.
Methods:
The study was a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomised controlled trial. One hundred and fifty consecutive neonates were randomised into three groups to receive 25% dextrose (D25), or 10% dextrose (D10) or placebo (distilled water). An NGT was inserted after giving 2 mL of one of the solutions orally. Pain response was assessed using the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP), and the duration of cry was noted within 60 s of the intervention. Total PIPP score, duration of cry, change in heart rate and oxygen saturation (SpO2 ) were compared among the three groups.
Results:
Neonates who received D25 had significantly lesser pain response to NGT insertion in terms of lower PIPP score (P < 0.05) and duration of cry (P = 0.001) compared to D10. There was a significantly smaller increase in heart rate and decrease in SpO2 (P < 0.05). In comparison with placebo, D10 significantly decreased duration of cry (P < 0.05) but not PIPP score.
Conclusion:
Oral D25 was effective in reducing the pain response during NGT insertion in neonates when compared with oral D10 and placebo. Oral D10 was not found to have a potent analgesic effect for the same.
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