Comparison of the analgesic effect of oral sucrose and/or music in preterm neonates: A double-blind randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To compare the analgesic effects of sucrose, music, and their combination on venipuncture's pain in preterm neonates.
Methodology: A double-blinded randomized control trial conducted at a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) in Tehran, Iran. One hundred and twenty preterm neonates were randomly allocated into three experimental (sucrose, music and combination of sucrose and music) and one control groups (n = 30 for each group). Two minutes before the venipuncture, 0.5 ml of oral 24% sucrose was provided for the sucrose and combination groups. The combination group additionally received lullaby music as same as the music group. The control group had headphones without playing music and received sterile water. Blinded assessment of the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) was performed before and during venipuncture, as well as 30 s and 10 min and 10 min after its completion.
Results: The pain scores during venipuncture in the sucrose and combination groups were significantly lower than the control group (p = .003, p < .001, respectively) but not in the music group. Thirty seconds after the end of the venipuncture, the pain score in the three intervention groups was significantly lower than the control group (sucrose, music and, combination group, p < .001, p = .009, p < .001, respectively). Ten min after the venipuncture, there was no significant difference in pain scores among the four groups.
Conclusion: Music could relief pain 30 s after the venipuncture completion but not during the venipuncture. A more prolonged period of playing music is recommended to evaluate the analgesic effects of music in preterm neonates in future studies.
Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest There is no conflict of interest to declare.
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