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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2020 Jun;40(6):896-901.
doi: 10.1038/s41372-020-0638-9. Epub 2020 Mar 9.

Blinded randomized crossover trial: Skin-to-skin care vs. sucrose for preterm neonatal pain

Somashekhar Nimbalkar  1 , Vivek V Shukla  2   3 , Vishwa Chauhan  1 , Ajay Phatak  1 , Dipen Patel  1 , Apurva Chapla  1 , Archana Nimbalkar  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Blinded randomized crossover trial: Skin-to-skin care vs. sucrose for preterm neonatal pain

Somashekhar Nimbalkar et al. J Perinatol. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: To compare skin-to-skin care (SSC) and oral sucrose for preterm neonatal pain control.

Methods: Preterm neonates (28-36 weeks gestation) requiring heel-stick were eligible. In group-A, SSC was given 15-min before first heel-stick, and sucrose was given 2-min before second heel-stick. In group-B, the sequence was reversed. Blinded premature infant pain profile (PIPP) score assessment was done at 0, 1, and 5-min of heel-stick by two assessors.

Results: A hundred neonates were enrolled. The inter-rater agreement for the PIPP score was good. The behavior state component was significantly lower in the sucrose group at all assessment points. The mean (SD) difference between 1-min and 0 min was similar [SSC 3.58(3.16) vs. sucrose 4.09(3.82), p = 0.24] between groups. The PIPP score attained baseline values at 5-min in both groups.

Conclusion: Albeit sucrose indicated instantaneous action, SSC and sucrose have comparable clinical efficacy for preterm neonatal pain control. Multisensory stimulation with SSC may result in a higher behavioral state component of the PIPP score.

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