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. 2016 Feb 18;2016(2):CD007874. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007874.pub2

O'Hara 1997.

Methods Double‐blind randomized controlled trial
Participants Age (years, mean ± SD): Placebo group = 44.0 ± 13.4, Lidocaine group = 40.0 ± 12.5, NTG group = 37.9 ± 16.2, NTG+Lidocaine group = 46.4 ± 15.6
Gender (M:F): Placebo group = 11:20, Lidocaine group = 14:17, NTG group = 22:9, NTG + lidocaine group = 13:18
Inclusion criteria: ASA I‐III, elective ambulatory surgery
Exclusion criteria: N/A
Recruitment: 124 adult patients randomly assigned (31 in each group)
Setting: USA
Interventions Admixture
Nitroglycerin or placebo ointments were applied to the back of the hand over the skin area overlying the IV catheter tip. Lidocaine was or was not added to the propofol solution:
placebo ointment and plain propofol
placebo ointment and propofol premixed with 1% lidocaine 2 ml
nitroglycerin ointment 7.5 mg and plain propofol
nitroglycerin ointment 7.5 mg and propofol premixed with 1% lidocaine 2 ml
Outcomes Pain intensity assessed on 4‐point scale
0 = no pain
1 = mild pain
2 = moderate pain
3 = severe pain
Outcomes reported and used
  1. Incidence of high‐intensity pain

  2. Incidence of pain


Outcomes sought but not reported
  1. Adverse effects

  2. Patient satisfaction

Notes Period of the study: dates not reported
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Unclear risk N/A
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk N/A
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk N/A
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk N/A
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) 
 All outcomes Low risk No withdrawals
Selective reporting (reporting bias) Unclear risk N/A
Other bias Low risk The study appears to be free of other sources of bias