Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2020 Jun;40(6):888-895.
doi: 10.1038/s41372-020-0634-0. Epub 2020 Feb 26.

Oral dextrose reduced procedural pain without altering cellular ATP metabolism in preterm neonates: a prospective randomized trial

Danilyn M Angeles  1   2 , Danilo S Boskovic  3 , John C Tan  3 , Wendy Shih  4 , Erin Hoch  5 , Dorothy Forde  6 , Raylene M Phillips  7   5 , Andrew Hopper  7   5 , Douglas D Deming  7   5 , Mitchell Goldstein  7   5 , Giang Truong  7   5 , Aprille Febre  7   5 , Priscilla Pegis  5 , Adrian Lavery  7   5 , Munaf Kadri  7   5 , Anamika Banerji  7   5 , Iman Mousselli  3 , Vora Farha  7   5 , Elba Fayard  7   5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Oral dextrose reduced procedural pain without altering cellular ATP metabolism in preterm neonates: a prospective randomized trial

Danilyn M Angeles et al. J Perinatol. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effects of 30% oral dextrose on biochemical markers of pain, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) degradation, and oxidative stress in preterm neonates experiencing a clinically required heel lance.

Study design: Utilizing a prospective study design, preterm neonates that met study criteria (n = 169) were randomized to receive either (1) 30% oral dextrose, (2) facilitated tucking, or (3) 30% oral dextrose and facilitated tucking 2 min before heel lance. Plasma markers of ATP degradation (hypoxanthine, uric acid) and oxidative stress (allantoin) were measured before and after the heel lance. Pain was measured using the premature infant pain profile-revised (PIPP-R).

Results: Oral dextrose, administered alone or with facilitated tucking, did not alter plasma markers of ATP utilization and oxidative stress.

Conclusion: A single dose of 30% oral dextrose, given before a clinically required heel lance, decreased signs of pain without increasing ATP utilization and oxidative stress in premature neonates.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Study inclusion and exclusion criteria and experimental groups.
Randomization procedure.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Flowchart of subject enrollment, randomization and analysis.
Enrollment layout.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Data collection strategy and approach.
Study procedure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Cruz MD, Fernandes AM, Oliveira CR. Epidemiology of painful procedures performed in neonates: a systematic review of observational studies. Eur J Pain. 2016;20:489–98. doi: 10.1002/ejp.757. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Slater L, Asmerom Y, Boskovic DS, Bahjri K, Plank MS, Angeles KR, et al. Procedural pain and oxidative stress in premature neonates. J Pain. 2012;13:590–7. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2012.03.010. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kristoffersen L, Malahleha M, Duze Z, Tegnander E, Kapongo N, Stoen R, et al. Randomised controlled trial showed that neonates received better pain relief from a higher dose of sucrose during venepuncture. Acta Paediatr. 2018;107:2071–8. doi: 10.1111/apa.14567. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Stevens B, Yamada J, Ohlsson A, Haliburton S, Shorkey A. Sucrose for analgesia in newborn infants undergoing painful procedures. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;7:CD001069. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Asmerom Y, Slater L, Boskovic DS, Bahjri K, Holden MS, Phillips R, et al. Oral sucrose for heel lance increases adenosine triphosphate use and oxidative stress in preterm neonates. J Pediatr. 2013;163:29–35.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.12.088. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types