The minimally effective dose of sucrose for procedural pain relief in neonates: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Orally administered sucrose is effective and safe in reducing pain intensity during single, tissue-damaging procedures in neonates, and is commonly recommended in neonatal pain guidelines. However, there is wide variability in sucrose doses examined in research, and more than a 20-fold variation across neonatal care settings. The aim of this study was to determine the minimally effective dose of 24% sucrose for reducing pain in hospitalized neonates undergoing a single skin-breaking heel lance procedure.

The premature infant pain profile-revised (PIPP-R): initial validation and feasibility.

Objectives: To describe revisions to the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) and initial construct validation and feasibility of the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R).

Methods: The PIPP was revised to enhance validity and feasibility. To validate the PIPP-R, data from 2 randomized cross-over studies were utilized to: (1) calculate and compare PIPP and PIPP-R scores in extremely low gestational age infants undergoing a painful and nonpainful event (N=52; dataset #1) and (2) calculate and compare PIPP and PIPP-R scores in assessing the effectiveness of (a) sucrose, (b) non-nutritive sucking (NNS)+sucrose, and (c) facilitated tucking+NNS+sucrose during heel lance (N = 85; dataset #2).

Validation of the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R).

Objectives: To examine the construct validity, inter-rater reliability, and feasibility of the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised in infants of varying gestational ages, diagnoses, and procedures.

Methods: A prospective cross-over study with infants in three gestational age groups (26-31, 32-36, and ≥37 weeks) at three university-affiliated Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Canada. One hundred and ninety five bedside nurses and expert raters rated 202 hospitalized infants' pain during scheduled procedures using the measure.