SPA was more painful than UC, as assessed by brow-bulging, and had a tendency to be associated with a higher rate of procedure failure. These findings should be taken into consideration when choosing between these 2 procedures for preterm infants who undergo urine sampling.

Objective: Sweetening agents have been recommended in position statements and consensus documents for procedura l pain management in neonates; however, it is not clear if this has resulted in widespread adoption in clinical practice. The objective of this study was to investigate unit-specific protocols for the use of sweetening agents.Methods: Structured telephone survey with qualified personnel in special care (level II) nurseries and neonatal intensive care (level III) units across Canada. The frequency and pattern of recommended use of sweetening agents was documented.Results: Eighty-six of 92 units (93.5%) participated. Sixty-four percent recommended sucrose and 2.3 % recommended glucose for procedural pain management; 87.7% had a guideline. Sweetening agents were most commonly recommended for venipuncture/ venous cannulation (91.2% for both), lumbar puncture (87.7%), and heel lance (82.5 % ). Dosing guidelines ranged from 0.05 mL of 24% sucrose solution to 3 mL of 25% sucrose solution . Sweeteners were not recommended for infants with necrotizing enterocolitis (77.2%) or those who were nil per os (75%).Conclusions: Sweetening agents were recommended for procedural pain management in two-thirds of special care nurseries and neonatal intensive care units across Canada with extensive variability in specific dosing guidelines. Audits of pain management practices should therefore account for unit-specific practice guidelines.

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