Abstract

To evaluate the effect of a new topical anesthetic cream (EMLA : Eutectic mixture of local anesthetics) on reducing pain associated with DPT vaccination, we conducted a clinical observation on eighty infants who were brought to well baby clinic of Yeungnam University Hospital for DPT vaccination. 80 Infants, who were between 2 months and 8 months in age, were divided into two groups. EMLA treated group and control group. Male to femle sex ratio was 1.4 to 1. EMLA cream was applied 60 minutes before DPT vaccination, the effect of reducing pain was assessed by using McGrath's face scale, Oucher pain scale and modified behavioral pain scale (MBPS) and also evaluated by measuring the duration and time of crying (the time of the first crying after iniection, duration of the first crying, total duration of crying). The scores of those scales were lower in EMLA treated group than in control group significantly (P<0.01 in McGrath's face scale. MBPS and p<0.05 in Oucher pain scale). There was no difference in the time of the first crying after vaccination in both groups. The duration of the first crying was shorter in EMLA treated group than control group of crying was also shorter in EMLA treated group (EMLA treated group 9.0±12.5 sec, p<0.05). Transient skin erythema was noted in 5 infants after EMLA application, but no other adverse effects were observed. We conclude that the application of EMLA cream before vaccination seems to be an effective and safe way to reduce the pain from vaccination, but it takes usually 60 minutes to get the anesthetic effect of EMLA and it is expensive, so EMLA cream can not be recommended in routine vaccination in infants now.

• Keywords: Local anesthetics, Eutectic mixture, Vaccination;