A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY ON ANALGESIC EFFECT OF ORAL 25% DEXTROSE DURING ROUTINE IMMUNISATION AT A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE

Background: Pain in neonates can evoke negative behavioural, physiologic, or metabolic responses. Repeated painful exposures can have deleterious long-term effects on neonates.1 Pain management in neonates in both preterm and full term is a fundamental part of neonatal care. Neonatal pain perception is more intense than in adults due to dense sensory nerve endings in neonatal skin and mucous membranes.2 Pain and stress may alter neurodevelopment and later perceptions of painful stimuli and behavioural responses.3.

Materials and Methods: This observational study included 90 Infants presenting to paediatric OPD for routine immunisation. Two ml of 25% dextrose was given 2 minutes prior to immunisation for 45 infants and no intervention was performed for control group. Pain was assessed using FLACC pain scale. Data on demographics and age at immunisation were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 25.

Results: A total of 90 infants to be vaccinated were assigned to 25% Dextrose and control group. Two ml of 25% dextrose was given 2 minutes prior to immunisation for 45 infants and no intervention was performed for control group. The pain intensity was assessed using FLACC behavioural pain scale (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolabilty behavioural pain scale). Out of babies which received 25% dextrose 84% of them were term babies and out of control group 81% of them were term babies. In 25% dextrose group 23% of them had moderate pain (FLACC score of 4-6) while in control group 48% of them had moderate pain. And also in 25% dextrose group 24% of them had FLACC score of 6 while in control group 48% of them had FLACC pain score of 6. Conclusion: A total of 90 infants were included in this study and out of which 45 infants received oral 25% dextrose prior to vaccination. The dextrose group which received oral 25% dextrose showed to have less indicators of pain such as activity, cry, consolability.