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Pain Due to Certain Specified ProceduresPhase 4NCT02151136

Be Sweet to Toddlers: Does Sugar Water Reduce Pain During Blood Work?

A Phase 4 study testing 24% sucrose and Sterile water in people with Pain Due to Certain Specified Procedures, run by Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario at 1 site in Canada.

Terminated

Stopped early. The study ended before it was planned to and will not resume.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether sugar water (24% sucrose) effectively reduces pain in children ages 12 to 36 months undergoing venipuncture, as measured by pain scores and cry duration. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 12 to 36 months
Conditions the study is for
Pain Due to Certain Specified Procedures
What is being tested?
24% sucrose and Sterile water
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
86 participants
Where
1 siteCanada
Study dates
Nov 2015to Jul 2019
Phase
Phase 4
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 12 to 36 months
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Children aged 12-36 months, inclusive
  • Children who are patients at CHEO in the 4 East/West or 5 East wards (and overflow unit, when applicable), and the Medical Day Unit
  • Children who require venipuncture for the purpose of medically required venous blood sampling
  • With the exception of the age criteria, children who are eligible to receive sucrose as per the Sucrose CHEO policy for infants
  • Children who have their venipuncture performed by hospital-employed phlebotomists or registered nurses (to ensure standardization of the blood collection procedure)
  • Parents/guardians and children must also be able to understand English or French

Who cannot join

  • Children who have received a muscle relaxant, opioid analgesic or sedative in the past 24 hours (to ensure there is no interaction effect of these medications which may impact on toddlers' ability to mount a behavioral response to pain)
  • Children who are ineligible to receive sucrose as per the Sucrose CHEO policy
  • Children who are already consuming sweet fluids or foods, or if the mother wishes to breast feed during the procedure will also be excluded
  • Children with known or suspected fructose intolerance

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Canada1 site
  • Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario

    Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8L1

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: Be Sweet to Toddlers During Needles: RCT of Sucrose Compared to Placebo

The purpose of this study is to determine whether sugar water (24% sucrose) effectively reduces pain in children ages 12 to 36 months undergoing venipuncture, as measured by pain scores and cry duration.

Read the detailed description

Background:

Hospitalized children and children undergoing medical care as outpatients are frequently required to undergo needle-related procedures, such as venipuncture for diagnostic purposes and ongoing monitoring (Ellis, Sharp, Newhook, \& Cohen, 2004). This procedure causes considerable pain and distress, especially in young children (Humphrey, Boon, van Linden van den Heuvell, \& van de Wiel, 1992). Children rate needles as being the most distressing aspect of hospitalization (Kortesluoma \& Nikkonen, 2006; Kortesluoma \& Nikkonen, 2004), yet they are the most frequently performed skin-breaking procedure for hospitalized children (Cummings, Reid, Finley, McGrath, \& Ritchie, 1996; Ellis, et al., 2004; Rennick, McHarg, Dell'Api, Johnston, \& Stevens, 2008; Stevens et al., 2011). It is estimated that one-quarter of adults have developed a fear needles, most likely developed during childhood (Taddio et al., 2010; Wright, Yelland, Heathcote, Ng, \& Wright, 2009). Being afraid of needles increases the risk of avoidance of needles for immunizations and medical care (Taddio et al., 2009; Wright, et al., 2009). It is therefore crucial that health care researchers and clinicians determine effective pain management strategies for young children, and consistently use such strategies in clinical care.

Rationale:

There is a paucity of evidence to support efficacy and feasibility of pain management strategies during needle-related painful procedures in young children, and uncertainties exist regarding analgesic effects of sweet solutions beyond infancy.

Objectives:

The primary objective of this study is to ascertain whether there is evidence of efficacy of oral 24% sucrose (TootSweet, Natural Product Number (NPN) 80021492; DandleLion Kisses, NPN 80075819) in toddlers (ages 12 to 36 months) compared to placebo (water) during venipuncture, as measured by pain scores and cry duration.

Methods:

A single-centre, phase IV, blinded, two-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Study population: Children aged 12 to 36 months, who are patients in the surgical/medical wards of an urban pediatric tertiary care centre who require venipuncture for the purpose of medically-required venous blood sampling.

Sample size: Data from 140 toddlers; 70 randomized to receive sucrose and 70 randomized to receive water.

Data collection: Enrolled children will be video-recorded during their procedure in order to permit completion of the primary outcome measurement at a later date by researchers blinded to the study solutions who were not part of the data collection process.

Statistical analysis: The primary analysis will consist of a two-way ANOVA with main effects for intervention group and age group. As a secondary analysis, an interaction between intervention and age group will be tested. The primary analysis will be adapted to include adjustment for number of previous hospitalizations and length of current hospitalization and number of venipuncture attempts.

Being tested
24% sucrose, Sterile water, Standard care
Keywords
Sucrose, Pain
Medical subject headings
Pain

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • 24% sucroseDrug

    Also called TootSweet (NPN 80021492), DandleLion Kisses (NPN 80075819)

  • Sterile waterDrug

  • Standard careOther

    The current standard of care at the study site is use of topical anesthetic (Ametop or EMLA), upright holding of toddler by parent/caregiver during procedure, use of age appropriate nurse directed distraction, and sucking on a pacifier (if normally used by child)

Study groups in NCT02151136
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
24% sucrose + standard careExperimentalIn addition to standard care (topical anesthetic (Ametop or EMLA) + upright holding + distraction + pacifier, if used), a maximum of 2 ml 24% sucrose will be administered orally in 0.25 ml aliquots 2 minutes prior to the needle insertion, at the time of needle insertion, and repeated at 2 minute intervals until the completion of the procedure
Receives: Drug: 24% sucrose; Other: Standard care
Sterile water + standard carePlacebo comparatorIn addition to standard care (topical anesthetic (Ametop or EMLA) + upright holding + distraction + pacifier, if used), a maximum of 2 ml sterile water will be administered orally in 0.25 ml aliquots 2 minutes prior to the needle insertion, at the time of needle insertion, and repeated at 2 minute intervals until the completion of the procedure
Receives: Drug: Sterile water; Other: Standard care

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Cry duration

    Cry is a valid measure of distress in young children and is an objective and easily measurable parameter.

    Measured: Cry time will be measured from the time of needle insertion up to 30 seconds after the end of the venipuncture procedure

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. FLACC (Face, Legs, Arms, Crying, Consolability)

    The FLACC score is a validated 10-point scale composite pain score.

    Measured: FLACC scores will be completed before and during the procedure and up to one minute after the end of the venipuncture procedure

  2. MBPS (Modified Behavioural Pain Scale)

    The MBPS is a validated 10-point scale composite pain score.

    Measured: MBPS scores will be completed before and during the procedure and up to one minute after the end of the venipuncture procedure

  3. Child's compliance with intervention

    The child's compliance with the study solution during venipuncture will be recorded by the research personnel on the data collection sheet as a 3-point scale (Fully compliant, Somewhat compliant, Not compliant) and will be scored and documented following completion of the procedure. The research personnel will ask the parent or nurse in attendance, what they consider the child's compliance score was.

    Measured: up to one minute

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted30 May 2014 (estimated)
  2. Study startNov 2015
  3. Primary completionJul 2019
  4. Study completionJul 2019

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
86 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02151136
Sponsor's protocol ID
11/20E
Status last verified
Nov 2019
First submitted
28 May 2014
Last updated
7 Nov 2019
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Ellis JA, Sharp D, Newhook K, Cohen J. Selling comfort: A survey of interventions for needle procedures in a pediatric hospital. Pain Manag Nurs. 2004 Dec;5(4):144-52. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2004.09.002.

    PubMed 15616484
  • Humphrey GB, Boon CM, van Linden van den Heuvell GF, van de Wiel HB. The occurrence of high levels of acute behavioral distress in children and adolescents undergoing routine venipunctures. Pediatrics. 1992 Jul;90(1 Pt 1):87-91.

    PubMed 1614786
  • Kortesluoma RL, Nikkonen M. 'The most disgusting ever': children's pain descriptions and views of the purpose of pain. J Child Health Care. 2006 Sep;10(3):213-27. doi: 10.1177/1367493506066482.

    PubMed 16940344
  • Kortesluoma RL, Nikkonen M. 'I had this horrible pain': the sources and causes of pain experiences in 4- to 11-year-old hospitalized children. J Child Health Care. 2004 Sep;8(3):210-31. doi: 10.1177/1367493504045822.

    PubMed 15358886
  • Cummings EA, Reid GJ, Finley AG, McGrath PJ, Ritchie JA. Prevalence and source of pain in pediatric inpatients. Pain. 1996 Nov;68(1):25-31. doi: 10.1016/S0304-3959(96)03163-6.

    PubMed 9251995
  • Stevens BJ, Abbott LK, Yamada J, Harrison D, Stinson J, Taddio A, Barwick M, Latimer M, Scott SD, Rashotte J, Campbell F, Finley GA; CIHR Team in Children's Pain. Epidemiology and management of painful procedures in children in Canadian hospitals. CMAJ. 2011 Apr 19;183(7):E403-10. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.101341. Epub 2011 Apr 4.

    PubMed 21464171
  • Rennick JE, McHarg LF, Dell'Api M, Johnston CC, Stevens B. Developing the Children's Critical Illness Impact Scale: capturing stories from children, parents, and staff. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2008 May;9(3):252-60. doi: 10.1097/PCC.0b013e31816c70d4.

    PubMed 18446107
  • Taddio A, Appleton M, Bortolussi R, Chambers C, Dubey V, Halperin S, Hanrahan A, Ipp M, Lockett D, MacDonald N, Midmer D, Mousmanis P, Palda V, Pielak K, Riddell RP, Rieder M, Scott J, Shah V. Reducing the pain of childhood vaccination: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline. CMAJ. 2010 Dec 14;182(18):E843-55. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.101720. Epub 2010 Nov 22. No abstract available.

    PubMed 21098062
  • Wright S, Yelland M, Heathcote K, Ng SK, Wright G. Fear of needles--nature and prevalence in general practice. Aust Fam Physician. 2009 Mar;38(3):172-6.

    PubMed 19283260
  • Taddio A, Chambers CT, Halperin SA, Ipp M, Lockett D, Rieder MJ, Shah V. Inadequate pain management during routine childhood immunizations: the nerve of it. Clin Ther. 2009;31 Suppl 2:S152-67. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2009.07.022.

    PubMed 19781434

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing 24% sucrose and Sterile water in people with Pain Due to Certain Specified Procedures, run by Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario at 1 site in Canada.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Nov 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study was stopped early. Results are not available in the source record.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Cry duration (time frame: Cry time will be measured from the time of needle insertion up to 30 seconds after the end of the venipuncture procedure). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02151136, which also lists 10 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Nov 2019.

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