Clinical characteristics of neonates investigated
| HL (n = 25) | HL with sucrose (n = 25) | VP (n = 25) | VP with sucrose (n = 25) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where applicable, values are median (range). Differences between the four groups were assessed by the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables or by the χ2 test for categorical data. There were no significant differences in any variables between the four groups. | ||||
| HL, Heel lance; VP, venepuncture. | ||||
| Gestational age (weeks) | 40 (38–42) | 39 (37–41) | 39 (37–41) | 39 (37–41) |
| Birth weight (g) | 3030 (2530–3550) | 2995 (2380–3590) | 3274 (2295–3715) | 3050 (2052–3425) |
| Apgar score | ||||
| at 1 min | 10 (7–10) | 9 (7–10) | 9 (8–10) | 10 (8–10) |
| at 5 min | 10 (6–10) | 10 (8–10) | 10 (7–10) | 10 (9–10) |
| Caesarean section (n) | 1/25 | 5/25 | 3/25 | 4/25 |
| Male (n) | 12/25 | 14/25 | 12/25 | 14/25 |