Effects of intra-oral intake of different concentrations of sucrose on biobehavioral pain response to immunizations in infants

  Introduction: An uncontrolled pain in infants can lead to permanent damage of the components of cognitive growth and development and change in response to painful stimuli. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of oral sucrose %20 and %50 on biobehavioural pain response to hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine injection in term newborns.   Materials and Methods: In this triple blind clinical trial study, which was performed in Semnan Amir-Al-Momenin Hospital, 91 term infants were selected and randomly divided into three groups. Two minutes prior to immunization with HBV vaccine by intramuscular injection, 2 ml of 20% or 50% sucrose solution was given to the infants in, experimental groups, while, the infants in the control group were orally received only 2 ml of sterile distilled water. The pain response was measured by using Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS) tools before the administration of sucrose, immediately after injection and 5 min after injection.   Results: The results showed that the administration of 50% sucrose significantly reduces pain response in newborns immediately and 5 minutes after HBV vaccination (P < 0.05). But the administration of 20% sucrose was effective only 5 minutes after HBV vaccine injection.   Conclusion: The administration of 50% sucrose can effectviley reduce the pain due to HBV vaccination in infants.