Efficacy of Oral Dextrose versus Acetaminophen versus Placebo on Pain Relief during Retinopathy of Prematurity Eye Examinations: A Randomized, Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial.

Purpose: To assess the effect of oral dextrose versus acetaminophen versus placebo in pain relief in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) examination.

Methods: In this prospective randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trial study performed in the ophthalmology clinic of Shafa Hospital (referral hospital for eye disease), Kerman, Iran, 105 premature neonates with birth weight ≤2000 g and gestational age between 28 and 34 weeks were studied. Pain score measurement with Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R) during ROP examination in three intervention groups, acetaminophen group (15 mg/kg oral acetaminophen), dextrose group (one cc of oral dextrose 50%), and placebo group (one cc of distilled water), was done.