O'Sullivan 2010.

Methods	Randomized, prospective, placebo‐controlled study Painful intervention: screening for ROP Study location: Dublin, Ireland Study period: not stated
Participants	40 preterm infants Water group: mean PMA ± SD = 29.5 ± 2.3 weeks, mean corrected age at first eye examination ± SD = 33.1 ± 1.2 weeks Sucrose group: mean PMA ± SD = 29.8 ± 2.4 weeks, mean corrected age at first eye examination ± SD = 33.0 ± 1.1 weeks
Interventions	Sucrose group: 0.2 mL 24% sucrose given by mouth using a syringe and a pacifier (N = 20) Water group: 0.2 mL sterile water given by mouth using a syringe and a pacifier (N = 20) Both groups were swaddled
Outcomes	N‐PASS; HR and oxygen saturation at baseline; number of episodes of bradycardia, desaturation
Notes	Recorded number of adverse events
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Computer‐based randomization process used
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	Sequentially numbered, opaque and sealed envelopes used
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Only pharmacist was aware of the identify of solutions, all other personnel were blinded
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Outcome assessors were blinded
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Outcome reported for all randomized infants
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	The study protocol was not available to us so we could not judge whether there were any deviations from it
Other bias	Low risk	Appears free of other bias