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Therapeutics
Routine primary immunisation using a longer needle resulted in fewer local reactions in infants

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebm.6.4.117

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    (2000) BMJ 321, 931. Diggle L, Deeks J.. Effect of needle length on incidence of local reactions to routine immunisation in infants aged 4 months: randomised controlled trial.. Oct 14;. :. –3..
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text

    
 
 QUESTION: When giving routine immunisations to infants, does needle length affect the incidence of local reactions?

    Design

    Randomised (allocation concealed*), blinded (outcome assessors),* controlled trial with follow up to 3 days.

    Setting

    8 general practices in Buckinghamshire, UK.

    Participants

    119 healthy infants attending routine immunisation clinics. Exclusion criteria were those applicable to children receiving primary immunisations. 92% of infants (58% boys) completed follow up.

    Intervention

    58 infants were allocated to receive their third dose of diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus and Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccines (due at 16 wk) given with a 23 gauge, 25 mm (longer) blue hub needle; 61 were allocated to vaccine administration with a 25 gauge, 16 mm (shorter) orange hub …

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    Footnotes

    • Source of funding: Smith and Nephew Foundation.

    • For correspondence: Ms L Diggle, Oxford Vaccine Group, University Department of Paediatrics, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK. Fax +44 (0)1865 221068.

    • A modified version of this abstract also appears in Evidence-Based Nursing.

    • ↵* See glossary.