Compared with water or no treatment, reduces incidence, duration of crying after immunization
THURSDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- The administration of sucrose or glucose prior to immunization in infants aged 1 to 12 months reduces the incidence and duration of crying as well as pain scores, according to research published online May 12 in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
In a systematic review of randomized controlled trials retrieved through Internet and manual searches, Denise Harrison, R.N., of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and colleagues compared the efficacy of administering oral sucrose or glucose versus water or no treatment prior to immunization in infants aged 1 to 12 months.
The researchers found that administration of oral sucrose or glucose decreased crying in 13 of 14 studies, compared to administration of water or no treatment. Although an optimal dose of sucrose or glucose could not be determined from the studies, the researchers found that infants receiving 30 percent glucose (three trials) experienced a decreased relative risk in crying incidence after immunization. In addition, they found a 10 percent reduction in weighted mean differences in the proportion of crying time in those that received glucose or sucrose, with a 12 second decrease in crying duration.
"Sucrose and glucose of various doses and concentrations moderately reduces crying incidence, crying duration and pain scores during or following immunization, beyond the neonatal period up to 12 months of age," the authors write. "Health care professionals responsible for administering immunizations should consider using sucrose or glucose during painful procedures."
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