Using sugar water to reduce pain in infants during throat scopes
Oral Sucrose for Pain Management During Flexible Nasolaryngoscopy
This study is testing if giving sugar water to infants can help reduce their pain and discomfort during a throat examination.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Ages | 1 Month to 12 Months |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | The Hospital for Sick Children Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Toronto, Ontario) |
| Trial ID | NCT06641687 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This study evaluates the effectiveness of 24% sucrose solution in alleviating pain or distress in infants undergoing flexible nasolaryngoscopy at the SickKids Pediatric Otolaryngology Clinic. The research involves administering oral sucrose to infants scheduled for this procedure and measuring their pain responses. The goal is to determine if this simple intervention can improve the experience for young patients during a potentially uncomfortable diagnostic procedure.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are infants under 12 months of age scheduled for flexible nasolaryngoscopy at SickKids.
Not a fit: Patients over 12 months of age or those with specific medical conditions that contraindicate the use of sucrose will not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly reduce pain and distress in infants during medical procedures.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown that oral sucrose can effectively reduce pain in infants during various medical procedures, suggesting a promising approach.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Patient \<12 months of age; * Scheduled for an appointment with Dr. Nikolaus Wolter or Dr. Jennifer Siu, who are Staff Pediatric Otolaryngologists at the Hospital for Sick Children, or Meghan Tepsich, a complex airway Nurse Practitioner at SickKids; * Requiring flexible nasolaryngoscopy for diagnostic purposes; * Accompanied by caregivers who provided consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Patient \>12 months of age * Infants \<37 weeks corrected gestational age * Infants with decreased level of consciousness or delayed neuromuscular development with limited pain response * Infants who have received acute/urgent /emergent airway assessment such as respiratory distress or a foreign body, etc. * Infants who have received topical anesthesia (topical decongestant/anesthetic spray) * Infants with the following conditions, where oral sucrose is contraindicated or ineffective: * Carbohydrate intolerance * Decreased level of consciousness or heavy sedation * Absent gag reflex * Non-functional gastrointestinal tract * History of aspiration, tracheoesophageal fistula * Necrotizing enterocolitis * Infants whose parents did not consent to enrolling their child in the study, including randomization into either arm of the study due to preference for a given intervention * Any other circumstance in which consent for participation in the study was not obtained prior to the scope Infants will also be excluded from the study if they present with conditions in which FNL is contraindicated: * Severe respiratory distress * Post-palliative systemic artery to pulmonary artery shunt * Single ventricle congenital heart disease
Where this trial is running
Toronto, Ontario
- The Hospital for Sick Children — Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Nikolaus E. Wolter, MD — The Hospital for Sick Children
- Study coordinator: Nikolaus E. Wolter, MD
- Email: nikolaus.wolter@sickkids.ca
- Phone: 4168137654
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.