NCT06959290

Effect of Multiple Non-pharmacological Methods for Pain Management During Eye Examination for Retinopathy of Prematurity in Preterm Infants

Effect of Multiple Non-pharmacological Methods for Pain Management During Eye Examination for Retinopathy of Prematurity in Preterm Infants: A Randomised Controlled Crossover Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 24 (actual)
• Sponsor: Istanbul Medeniyet University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 26 Weeks – 32 Weeks
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study will be conducted to determine the effect on pain and vital signs of multiple nonpharmacological methods used in preterm infants during the examination for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Detailed description

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) examination is performed using a binocular indirect ophthalmoscope. ROP examination causes pain and discomfort in the preterm infant in many ways, including the application of eye drops, the placement of the speculum in the eye, the pressure applied to the pupils and the brightness of the ophthalmoscope. Studies in the literature have also reported that newborns experience pain and discomfort during ROP examination. In relation to the ROP pain experienced by the preterm infant, various physiological changes such as increased heart rate or decreased oxygen saturation are experienced during or after the examination. Accordingly, ROP examination is important; however, controlling the pain that occurs during the examination is also very important in terms of the patient's emotional experience and comfort. In the literature, many studies have been conducted to reduce pain during ROP examination. Although pharmacological treatment methods are an effective technique to reduce pain, it is recommended that nonpharmacological methods should be used especially in infants and children because of the side effects of drugs (such as apnoea, bradycardia, respiratory depression, hypotension) and the method to be used should be easy, fast and does not require preparation. The Turkish Neonatology Society and the Turkish Ophthalmology Society also recommend that ROP examination is a very painful procedure, that pharmacological methods alone are not sufficient to reduce pain, and that nonpharmacological methods such as pacifier, breast milk and oral sucrose should be used during the examination. In addition, although there is no gold standard for pain relief during ROP examination, previous studies suggest that clinicians should use more than one method together to reduce pain and provide relief in premature infants. In this study, a combination of oral 25% dextrose, non-nutritive sucking and swaddling will be used for multiple nonpharmacological applications

Conditions

• Premature Infant
• Retinopaty of Prematurity
• Pain Management

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Multiple nonpharmacological methods	The preterm babies in this group are swaddled by the nurse with each baby's own blanket 2 minutes before the ROP examination. The nurse will then give the baby 25% dextrose solution orally (0.5ml for those \<32 weeks gestation, 1ml for those \>32 weeks gestation). The nurse then places a pacifier soaked in 25% dextrose solution in the preterm infant's mouth. After these three non-pharmacological methods, the doctor will perform the ROP examination.
OTHER	Routine Treatment	The preterm babies in this group are swaddled by the nurse with each baby's own blanket 2 minutes before the ROP examination. After these three non-pharmacological methods, the doctor will perform the ROP examination.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-05-01
• Primary completion: 2025-06-30
• Completion: 2025-06-30
• First posted: 2025-05-06
• Last updated: 2025-07-14

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)