Oral Sucrose Improves Analgesia During Retinopathy of Prematurity Screening

Abstract Purpose To determine whether sucrose provides significant analgesia during Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) screening Methods This was a prospective, randomized, sinlge masked audit. The examinations were performed by a single examiner. Forty-five (45) neonates were separated into two groups; Group 1 received oral sucrose while Group 2 received oral sucrose and non-nutritive suckling (NNS) at the discretion of the attending nurse. Pain was assessed using the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) score and recorded at baseline, immediately following lid speculum, at 3 minutes and 6 minutes following lid speculum insertion. Results The mean baseline PIPP score was 0.5. Fifteen (15) neonates (33%) received NNS. The mean PIPP scores at speculum insertion in both groups (Group 1: 7.24, Group 2: 5.50) were observed to be higher than at baseline and lower in Group 2 than in Group 1. In both groups, the scores at 3 minutes (Group 1: 4.70, Group 2: 4.20) and 6 minutes (Group 1 4.50, Group 2: 4.70) were observed to be higher than at baseline, lower than at speculum insertion, but not significantly different to each other. Conclusions Lid speculum insertion during ROP screening appears to be a significantly painful event. ROP examinations should be conducted with a combination of topical analgesia and sucrose and NNS for greatest pain-relieving effect.