The comparison of pupillometry to standard clinical practice for pain and preemptive analgesia before endotracheal suctioning: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Pain during endotracheal aspiration (ETA) is frequent in critically ill patients. Managing pre-emptive analgesia before procedures remains a crucial aspect of care. We compared pupillometry to standard clinical practice for assessing preemptive-analgesia administration and pain before ETA according to Behavioural Pain Scale (BPS), the Behavioural Pain Indicator Scale (ESCID), and the Pupillary Dilation Reflex (PDR).