Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Purpose</jats:title><jats:p>To evaluate the influence of the needle size used for intravitreal (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IVT</jats:styled-content>) injections on patients' pain experience in a randomized, double‐armed, single‐blinded, clinical trial.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>Patients included were randomized to have an <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IVT</jats:styled-content> injection performed with a 27‐gauge needle (group 1) or with a 30‐gauge needle (group 2). The topical anaesthesia before the injection was standardized. Immediately after the injection, patients were asked to grade their pain using the visual analogue scale (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VAS</jats:styled-content>) and the Wong–Baker <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">FACES</jats:styled-content> scale. The main outcome measure was the pain score assessment. Cofactors analysed were patients' demographics (age and gender) and clinical characteristics (such as the number of previous <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IVT</jats:styled-content> injections). In addition, scaled surgeon's questionnaires to assess the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IVT</jats:styled-content> injection procedure were evaluated. For statistical analysis, a regression model was used.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>The data of 208 patients (group 1: 104 patients; group 2: 104 patients) were analysed. There was no significant difference in the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VAS</jats:styled-content> pain scores (p > 0.18) and in the Wong–Baker pain scores (p > 0.59) between both treatment groups. Gender (p = 0.0288) and the number of previous <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IVT</jats:styled-content> injections (p = 0.0028) significantly influenced the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VAS</jats:styled-content> pain scores (p < 0.05). Female patients and patients with a history of previous <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IVT</jats:styled-content> injections had higher pain scores. The surgeon's questionnaire showed an overall preference towards the use of a 30‐gauge needle for <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IVT</jats:styled-content> injections.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title><jats:p>The use of a 30‐gauge needle for <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IVT</jats:styled-content> injections showed no significant effect in pain relief compared to the use of a 27‐gauge needle. However, a 30‐gauge needle was preferred by all surgeons.</jats:p></jats:sec>