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Intranasally delivered Dexmedetomidine before retinopathy of prematurity screenings alleviates pain in premature newborns.
According to the outcomes of a recent retrospective trial, intranasal Dexmedetomidine may provide short-term benefits for procedural pain management during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screenings, with minimal adverse effects. ROP screening can be a painful procedure for preterm infants. Hence, investigators explored how intranasal Dexmedetomidine might offer a more comfortable experience for such patients.
Over one-year, preterm infants (born at ≤32 weeks) were split into two arms: (a) Standard protocol group (43 infants), and (b) Dexmedetomidine group (56 infants). Both groups received standard pre-procedural care, including topical anesthesia, oral dextrose, and swaddling. Furthermore, the Dexmedetomidine group also received intranasal Dexmedetomidine (1 mcg/kg) prior to the procedure.
Pain scores, vital signs, and oxygen levels were measured at baseline, 1 minute, and 5 minutes during the procedure. The Dexmedetomidine group showed significantly lower premature infant pain profile (PIPP) score, heart rate, respiratory rate, and systolic blood pressure at 1 minute and 5 minutes compared to the standard group. Additionally, oxygen saturation was higher in the Dexmedetomidine group at both time points. Table 1 encompasses detailed information for the same.
The frequency of adverse effects was also lower in the Dexmedetomidine group (11% vs. 47%). Thus, the study concluded that intranasal Dexmedetomidine is an effective and well-tolerated option for attenuating pain during ROP screenings in preterm infants (gestational age of ≤32 weeks), making the procedure more comfortable for these vulnerable patients.
Frontiers in Pediatrics
Intranasal Dexmedetomidine reduces pain scores in preterm infants during retinopathy of prematurity screening
Intranasal Dexmedetomidine reduces pain scores in preterm infants during retinopathy of prematurity screening
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