Intranasal fentanyl in 1–3‐year‐olds: A prospective study of the effectiveness of intranasal fentanyl as acute analgesia

The primary objective of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of intranasal fentanyl analgesia in children aged 1–3 years with acute moderate to severe pain presenting to the ED. We also aimed to gather information on the safety and acceptability of intranasal fentanyl in this age group. Two paediatric ED enrolled children aged 1–3 years, with acute moderate or severe pain. Intranasal fentanyl was administered (1.5 µg/kg) via a mucosal atomiser device using a 50 µg/mL solution of fentanyl. Physiological parameters (heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturations and level of consciousness) were measured at regular intervals. Objective pain assessment was completed using the Faces, Legs, Arms, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) score. Forty‐six children presenting with acute moderate to severe pain were included. The median FLACC score before intranasal fentanyl administration was 8 (interquartile range [IQR] 5–10), decreasing to 2 (IQR 0–4) 10 min post fentanyl (P < 0.0001) and 0 (IQR 0–2) 30 min post fentanyl (P < 0.0001). A clinically significant decrease in FLACC scores was seen in 93% of children 10 min post fentanyl administration and 98% of children 30 min post fentanyl. Intranasal fentanyl delivery using a mucosal atomiser was well tolerated by all children. There were no adverse drug reactions or adverse events detected. Intranasal fentanyl is an effective, safe and well‐tolerated mode of analgesia for children aged 1–3 years with moderate to severe pain.