Amethocaine gel reduced pain during venipuncture in newborn infants
QUESTION: Does topical amethocaine gel reduce pain during venipuncture in newborn infants?
Design
Randomised (allocation concealed), blinded (patients, clinicians, outcome assessors), placebo controlled trial with follow up immediately after the procedure.
Setting
Postnatal wards and the neonatal intensive care unit at the Nottingham City Hospital, Nottingham, UK.
Patients
40 newborn infants (median age 7 d, median gestational age 33 wks) who required venipuncture as part of their routine care. Infants who were unwell, ventilated, or sedated were excluded. Follow up was 98%.
Intervention
20 infants were allocated to 1.5 g of 4% amethocaine gel and 20 were allocated to 1.5 g of placebo gel. The gel was applied to the dorsum of the hand or foot and covered with an occlusive dressing. After …
