Pediatric Research

Home Current Issue Previous Issues Published Ahead-of-Print For Authors Journal Info
Skip Navigation LinksHome > April 2002 - Volume 51 - Issue 4 > Effect of Multisensory Stimulation on Analgesia in Term Neon...
Pediatric Research:
April 2002 - Volume 51 - Issue 4 - pp 460-463
Articles

Effect of Multisensory Stimulation on Analgesia in Term Neonates: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BELLIENI, CARLO VALERIO; BAGNOLI, FRANCO; PERRONE, SERAFINA; NENCI, ANNA; CORDELLI, DUCCIO MARIA; FUSI, MARA; CECCARELLI, AND, SIMONA; BUONOCORE, GIUSEPPE

Collapse Box

Abstract

Many attempts have been made to obtain safe and effective analgesia in newborns. Oral glucose-water has been found to have analgesic properties in neonates. We investigated whether other sensory stimulation added to oral glucose provided more effective analgesia than oral glucose alone. In a randomized prospective double-blind trial, we studied 120 term newborns during heel prick. The babies were divided randomly into six groups of 20, and each group was treated with a different procedure during heel prick:A) control;B) 1 mL 33% oral glucose given 2 min before the heel prick;C) sucking;D) 1 mL 33% oral glucose plus sucking;E) multisensory stimulation including 1 mL 33% oral glucose (sensorial saturation);F) multisensory stimulation without oral glucose. Sensorial saturation consisted in massage, voice, eye contact, and perfume smelling during heel prick. Each heel prick was filmed and assigned a point score according to the Douleur Aiguë du Nouveau-né (DAN) neonatal acute pain scale. Camera recording began 30 s before the heel prick, so it was impossible for the scorers to distinguish procedure A (control) from B (glucose given 2 min before), C (sucking water) from D (sucking glucose), and E (multisensory stimulation and glucose) from F (multisensory stimulation and water) from the video. Procedure E (multisensory stimulation and glucose) was found to be the most effective procedure, and the analgesia was even more effective than that produced by procedure D (sucking glucose). We conclude that sensorial saturation is an effective analgesic technique that potentiates the analgesic effect of oral sugar. It can be used for minor painful procedures on newborns.

© International Pediatrics Research Foundation, Inc. 2002. All Rights Reserved.