Update on the pharmacologic management of neonatal abstinence syndrome

Comparison of the effect of phenobarbital & levetiracetam in the treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) as adjuvant treatment in neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit: a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Infants who are born from mothers with substance use disorder might suffer from neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and need treatment with medicines. One of these medicines is phenobarbital, which may cause side effects in long-term consumption. Alternative drugs can be used to reduce these side effects. This study seeks the comparison of the effects of phenobarbital & levetiracetam as adjuvant therapy in neonatal abstinence syndrome.

METHODS

This randomized clinical trial was performed in one year from May 2021 until May 2022. The neonates who were born from mothers with substance use disorder and had neonatal abstinence syndrome in Afzalipoor Hospital of Kerman were studied. The treatment started with morphine initially and every four hours the infants were checked. The infants who were diagnosed with uncontrolled symptoms After obtaining informed consent from the parents were randomly divided into two groups and treated with secondary drugs, either phenobarbital or levetiracetam.

RESULTS

Based on the obtained results, it was clear that there was no significant difference between the hospitalization time of the two infant groups under therapy (phenobarbital: 18.59 days versus Levetiracetam 18.24 days) (P-value = 0.512). Also, there was no significant difference between both groups in terms of the frequency of re-hospitalization during the first week after discharge, the occurrence of complications, and third treatment line prescription (P-value = 0.644).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the obtained results, like hospitalization duration time (P-value = 0.512) it seems that levetiracetam can be used to substitute phenobarbital in treating neonatal abstinence syndrome.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The current study has been registered in the Iran registry of clinical trials website (fa.irct.ir) on the date 25/2/2022 with registration no. IRCT20211218053444N2.

Drug testing in support of the diagnosis of neonatal abstinence syndrome: The current situation

Illicit drug use during pregnancy is a concern worldwide, with many international studies describing attempted strategies to mitigate this problem. Drug misuse during pregnancy is associated with significant maternal as well as perinatal complications, which include a high incidence of stillbirths, fetal distress, neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and increased neonatal mortality. Unfortunately, the identification of a drug-exposed mother or neonate is challenging. Maternal disclosure of drug use is often inaccurate, principally due to psychosocial factors including behavioral denial or the fear of the consequences resulting from such admissions. Likewise, many infants who have been exposed to drugs in utero may appear normal at birth and initially show no overt manifestations of drug effects. Thus, the identification of the drug-exposed infant requires a high index of clinical suspicion. Conversely, analytical testing is an objective means of determining drug exposure when it may be necessary to document proof of the infant's exposure to illicit drugs. The review will discuss the different matrices that are most commonly used for testing (e.g., maternal urine, neonatal urine, meconium, and umbilical cord), the strengths and limitations for each matrix, which drugs and metabolites are appropriate for testing, the various testing methods, and the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Future Newborns with Opioid-Induced Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Could Be Assessed with the Genetic Addiction Risk Severity (GARS) Test and Potentially Treated Using Precision Amino-Acid Enkephalinase Inhibition Therapy (KB220) as a Frontline Modality Instead of Potent Opioids

In this nonsystematic review and opinion, including articles primarily selected from PubMed, we examine the pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in order to craft a reasonable opinion to help forge a paradigm shift in the treatment and prevention of primarily opioid-induced NAS. Newborns of individuals who use illicit and licit substances during pregnancy are at risk for withdrawal, also known as NAS. In the US, the reported prevalence of NAS has increased from 4.0 per 1000 hospital births in 2010 to 7.3 per 1000 hospital births in 2017, which is an 82% increase. The management of NAS is varied and involves a combination of nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic therapy. The preferred first-line pharmacological treatment for NAS is opioid therapy, specifically morphine, and the goal is the short-term improvement in NAS symptomatology. Nonpharmacological therapies are individualized and typically focus on general care measures, the newborn-parent/caregiver relationship, the environment, and feeding. When used appropriately, nonpharmacologic therapies can help newborns with NAS avoid or reduce the amount of pharmacologic therapy required and the length of hospitalization. In addition, genetic polymorphisms of the catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) and mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1) genes appear to affect the length of stay and the need for pharmacotherapy in newborns with prenatal opioid exposure. Therefore, based on this extensive literature and additional research, this team of coauthors suggests that, in the future, in addition to the current nonpharmacological therapies, patients with opioid-induced NAS should undergo genetic assessment (i.e., the genetic addiction risk severity (GARS) test), which can subsequently be used to guide DNA-directed precision amino-acid enkephalinase inhibition (KB220) therapy as a frontline modality instead of potent opioids.

Alterations in Excitatory and Inhibitory Synaptic Development Within the Mesolimbic Dopamine Pathway in a Mouse Model of Prenatal Drug Exposure

The rise in rates of opioid abuse in recent years in the United States has led to a dramatic increase in the incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Despite improved understanding of NAS and its acute symptoms, there remains a paucity of information regarding the long-term effects of prenatal exposure to drugs of abuse on neurological development. The primary goal of this study was to investigate the effects of prenatal drug exposure on synaptic connectivity within brain regions associated with the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, the primary reward pathway associated with drug abuse and addiction, in a mouse model. Our secondary goal was to examine the role of the Ca+2 channel subunit α2δ-1, known to be involved in key developmental synaptogenic pathways, in mediating these effects. Pregnant mouse dams were treated orally with either the opioid drug buprenorphine (commonly used in medication-assisted treatment for substance use patients), gabapentin (neuropathic pain drug that binds to α2δ-1 and has been increasingly co-abused with opioids), a combination of both drugs, or vehicle daily from gestational day 6 until postnatal day 11. Confocal fluorescence immunohistochemistry (IHC) imaging of the brains of the resulting wild-type (WT) pups at postnatal day 21 revealed a number of significant alterations in excitatory and inhibitory synaptic populations within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), nucleus accumbens (NAC), and medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), particularly in the buprenorphine or combinatorial buprenorphine/gabapentin groups. Furthermore, we observed several drug- and region-specific differences in synaptic connectivity between WT and α2δ-1 haploinsufficient mice, indicating that critical α2δ-1-associated synaptogenic pathways are disrupted with early life drug exposure.

Study design and rationale for a randomized controlled trial to assess effectiveness of stochastic vibrotactile mattress stimulation versus standard non-oscillating crib mattress for treating hospitalized opioid-exposed newborns

The incidence of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) continues to rise and there remains a critical need to develop non-pharmacological interventions for managing opioid withdrawal in newborns. Objective physiologic markers of opioid withdrawal in the newborn remain elusive. Optimal treatment strategies for improving short-term clinical outcomes and promoting healthy neurobehavioral development have yet to be defined. This dual-site randomized controlled trial (NCT02801331) is designed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of stochastic vibrotactile stimulation (SVS) for reducing withdrawal symptoms, pharmacological treatment, and length of hospitalization, and for improving developmental outcomes in opioid-exposed neonates. Hospitalized newborns (n = 230) receiving standard clinical care for prenatal opioid exposure will be randomly assigned within 48-hours of birth to a crib with either: 1) Intervention (SVS) mattress: specially-constructed SVS crib mattress that delivers gentle vibrations (30-60 Hz, ~12 μm RMS surface displacement) at 3-hr intervals; or 2) Control mattress (treatment as usual; TAU): non-oscillating hospital-crib mattress. Infants will be studied throughout their hospitalization and post discharge to 14-months of age. The study will compare clinical measures (i.e., withdrawal scores, cumulative dose and duration of medications, velocity of weight gain) and characteristic progression of physiologic activity (i.e., limb movement, cardio-respiratory, temperature, blood-oxygenation) throughout hospitalization between opioid-exposed infants who receive SVS and those who receive TAU. Developmental outcomes (i.e., physical, social, emotional and cognitive) within the first year of life will be evaluated between the two study groups. Findings from this randomized controlled trial will determine whether SVS reduces in-hospital severity of NAS, improves physiologic function, and promotes healthy development.

Use of Phenobarbital to Treat Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome From Exposure to Single vs. Multiple Substances

Drug use in pregnancy is a major public health issue. Intrauterine exposure to opioids alone or in addition to other substances may lead to neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Little consensus exists on optimal therapy, especially for those exposed to multiple drugs. We aim to determine whether the use of opioids alone vs. in combination with phenobarbital will affect short-term neonatal outcomes. This retrospective review of infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) included newborns ≥35 weeks of gestation exposed to opioids, or multiple substances including opioids, in utero. Treatment with opioids alone, and addition of phenobarbital as initial therapy vs. rescue, was evaluated. Out of 182 newborns, 54 (30%) were exposed to methadone alone vs. 128 (70%) to multiple drugs. Length of stay (LOS) in the hospital was not significantly affected (p = 0.684) by single vs. multiple drug exposure in utero. Treatment of NAS with opioid alone resulted in significantly shorter LOS (27 days), as compared to those treated with opioid and phenobarbital (45 days, p < 0.001). LOS was further prolonged in those treated with phenobarbital as a "rescue" medication in addition to an opioid (49 days, p < 0.0001). There was a significant increase in LOS and duration of opioid treatment for all infants treated with phenobarbital, both in those exposed to opioids alone, and to multiple substances in utero.

Pharmacotherapy of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome: a review of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics

INTRODUCTION

Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) often arises in infants born to mothers who used opioids during pregnancy. Morphine, methadone, and buprenorphine are the most common first-line treatments, whereas clonidine and phenobarbital are generally reserved for adjunctive therapy. These drugs exhibit substantial pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) variability. Current pharmacological treatments for NOWS are based on institutional protocols and largely rely on empirical treatment of patient symptoms.

AREAS COVERED

This article reviews the PK/PD of NOWS pharmacotherapies with a focus on the implication of physiological development and maturation. Body size-standardized clearance is consistently low in neonates, except for methadone. This can be ascribed to underdeveloped metabolic and elimination pathways. The effects of pharmacogenetics have been clarified especially for morphine. The PK/PD relationship of medications used in the treatment of NOWS is generally understudied.

EXPERT OPINION

Providing an appropriate opioid dose in neonates is challenging. Advancements in quantitative pharmacology and PK/PD modeling approaches facilitate identification of key factors driving PK/PD variability and characterization of exposure-response relationships. PK/PD model-informed simulations have been widely employed to define age-appropriate pediatric dosing regimens. The model-informed approach holds promise to aid more rational use of medications in the treatment of NOWS.

Clonidine versus phenobarbital as adjunctive therapy for neonatal abstinence syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To compare clonidine versus phenobarbital as adjunctive therapy in infants who failed monotherapy with morphine for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, randomized, open-label study of infants ≥ 35 weeks' gestation. Infants received clonidine or phenobarbital per protocol. Primary outcome was morphine treatment days. Secondary outcomes were inpatient adjunctive days, length of stay (LOS), triple therapy, safety, and readmission rates.

RESULTS

A total of 25 infants were treated with clonidine (n = 14) or phenobarbital (n = 11). Mean morphine treatment duration was significantly longer with clonidine (34.4 days, SD = 10.6) compared with phenobarbital (25.5 days, SD = 7.3, p = 0.026). The clonidine group also had higher inpatient adjunctive days (mean: 33.8 days [SD = 14.3] vs. 22 days [SD = 12.6], p = 0.042) and LOS (mean: 41.8 days [SD = 10.9] vs. 31 days [SD = 10]; p = 0.018) compared with phenobarbital.

CONCLUSIONS

Phenobarbital, as adjunctive therapy, led to significantly shorter duration of morphine therapy, inpatient adjunctive days, and length of stay compared with clonidine.

National Partnership for Maternal Safety: Consensus Bundle on Obstetric Care for Women With Opioid Use Disorder

The opioid epidemic is a public health crisis, and pregnancy-associated morbidity and mortality due to substance use highlights the need to prioritize substance use as a major patient safety issue. To assist health care providers with this process and mitigate the effect of substance use on maternal and fetal safety, the National Partnership for Maternal Safety within the Council on Patient Safety in Women's Health Care has created a patient safety bundle to reduce adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes associated with substance use. The Consensus Bundle on Obstetric Care for Women with Opioid Use Disorder provides a series of evidence-based recommendations to standardize and improve the quality of health care services for pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorder, which should be implemented in every maternity care setting. A series of implementation resources have been created to help providers, hospitals, and health systems translate guidelines into clinical practice, and multiple state-level Perinatal Quality Collaboratives are developing quality improvement initiatives to facilitate the bundle-adoption process. Structure, process, and outcome metrics have also been developed to monitor the adoption of evidence-based practices and ensure consistency in clinical care.

Comparing the effects of auricular seed acupressure and foot reflexology on neonatal abstinence syndrome: A modified double blind clinical trial

BACKGROUND

The neonates of addicted women are at risk for neonatal abstinence syndrome. This study aimed to compare the effects of auricular seed acupressure and foot reflexology on neonatal abstinence syndrome among the neonates of addicted women.

METHODS

Thirty one neonates of addicted women were purposively recruited and randomly allocated through coin flipping to receive either foot reflexology then seed acupressure or seed acupressure then foot reflexology. Interventions were performed in two successive days with a 12-h washout interval. Foot reflexology was applied for 15 min to the first horizontal zone of the sole while seed acupressure was applied for 24 h through attaching acupuncture-specific ear seeds to the posterior surface of the auricle on the SJ 17 acupoint. The symptoms of abstinence syndrome were assessed using Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System before and after foot reflexology, and before, 15 min, and 24 h after the onset of the seed acupressure intervention. Symptom assessment was done by a research assistant who was blind to the study intervention.

FINDINGS

The mean score of abstinence symptoms for the foot reflexology intervention significantly reduced from 10.32 ± 2.10 at pretest to 7.87 ± 2.04 at posttest (P < 0.001). Moreover, the mean score of abstinence symptoms for the seed acupressure intervention significantly reduced from 9.70 ± 2.10 to 8.70 ± 1.46 at the first posttest (P = 0.007) and 7.32 ± 1.42 at the second posttest (P < 0.001). The change in the mean score of the foot reflexology intervention was significantly greater than the change in the mean score at the first seed acupressure posttest (P < 0.001) but did not significantly differ from the change in the second seed acupressure posttest (P = 0.880).

CONCLUSION

Both foot reflexology and auricular seed acupressure has significant effects on abstinence symptoms. Of course, 15-min seed acupressure is less effective than 15-min foot reflexology, while 24-h seed acupressure is as effective as 15-min foot reflexology in alleviating abstinence symptoms.

Occupational Therapy Management Strategies for Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: Scoping Review

With opioid use in North America rising, there is a growing incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Infants with NAS experience withdrawal signs that interfere with their occupational performance in activities of daily living. This scoping review aims to identify the non-pharmacologic interventions currently used in the treatment of infants with NAS that fall within the scope of the occupational therapy profession. Searching three databases, articles were independently reviewed by two authors to meet defined inclusion criteria. Forty-five articles were included, and the interventions identified and organized according to the Person-Environment-Occupation Model. The non-pharmacologic interventions identified fall within the scope of the occupational therapy profession. Initiating occupational therapy services in an acute care setting may have the potential to improve occupational performance and engagement for these infants from an early age.

Update of the Scientific Opinion on opium alkaloids in poppy seeds

Poppy seeds are obtained from the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.). They are used as food and to produce edible oil. The opium poppy plant contains narcotic alkaloids such as morphine and codeine. Poppy seeds do not contain the opium alkaloids, but can become contaminated with alkaloids as a result of pest damage and during harvesting. The European Commission asked EFSA to provide an update of the Scientific Opinion on opium alkaloids in poppy seeds. The assessment is based on data on morphine, codeine, thebaine, oripavine, noscapine and papaverine in poppy seed samples. The CONTAM Panel confirms the acute reference dose (ARfD) of 10 μg morphine/kg body weight (bw) and concluded that the concentration of codeine in the poppy seed samples should be taken into account by converting codeine to morphine equivalents, using a factor of 0.2. The ARfD is therefore a group ARfD for morphine and codeine, expressed in morphine equivalents. Mean and high levels of dietary exposure to morphine equivalents from poppy seeds considered to have high levels of opium alkaloids (i.e. poppy seeds from varieties primarily grown for pharmaceutical use) exceed the ARfD in most age groups. For poppy seeds considered to have relatively low concentrations of opium alkaloids (i.e. primarily varieties for food use), some exceedance of the ARfD is also seen at high levels of dietary exposure in most surveys. For noscapine and papaverine, the available data do not allow making a hazard characterisation. However, comparison of the dietary exposure to the recommended therapeutical doses does not suggest a health concern for these alkaloids. For thebaine and oripavine, no risk characterisation was done due to insufficient data. However, for thebaine, limited evidence indicates a higher acute lethality than for morphine and the estimated exposure could present a health risk.

A Quality Improvement Initiative to Increase Scoring Consistency and Accuracy of the Finnegan Tool: Challenges in Obtaining Reliable Assessments of Drug Withdrawal in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Current practice for diagnosing neonatal abstinence syndrome and guiding pharmacological management of neonatal drug withdrawal is dependent on nursing assessments and repeated evaluation of clinical signs.

PURPOSE

This single-center quality improvement initiative was designed to improve accuracy and consistency of Finnegan scores among neonatal nurses.

METHODS

One-hundred seventy neonatal nurses participated in a single-session withdrawal-assessment program that incorporated education, scoring guidelines, and a restructured Finnegan scale. Nurses scored a standardized video-recorded infant presenting with opioid withdrawal before and after training.

RESULTS

Nearly twice as many nurses scored at target (Finnegan score of 8) posttraining (34.7%; mean error = 0.559, SD = 1.4) compared with pretraining (18.8%; mean error = 1.31, SD = 1.95; Wilcoxon, P < .001). Finnegan scores were significantly higher than the target score pretraining (mean = 9.31, SD = 1.95) compared with posttraining (mean = 8.56, SD = 1.40, Wilcoxon P < .001); follow-up assessments reverted to pretraining levels (mean = 9.16, SD = 1.8). Score dispersion was greater pretraining (variance 3.80) compared with posttraining (variance 1.96; Kendall's Coefficient, P < .001) largely due to score disparity among central nervous system symptomology.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Education, clinical guidelines, and a restructured scoring tool increased consistency and accuracy of infant withdrawal-assessments among neonatal nurses. However, more than 60% of nurses did not assess withdrawal to the target score immediately following the training period and improvements did not persist over time.

IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH

This study highlights the need for more objective tools to quantify withdrawal severity given that assessments are the primary driver of pharmacological management in neonatal drug withdrawal.Video Abstract available at https://journals.lww.com/advancesinneonatalcare/Pages/videogallery.aspx.

Comparison of Time to First Dose of Oral Morphine in the Treatment of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To compare time to first dose of oral morphine used in the treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) versus a special care nursery (SCN) setting.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was completed of patient data from two community hospitals in a single health network. Infants born at either facility between January 2013 and August 2015 were eligible for inclusion in the study if treated for NAS with a course of oral morphine. The primary outcome was time from birth to first dose of oral morphine. Secondary outcomes included details about the morphine treatment course, length of stay, and complications from NAS.

RESULTS

A total of 54 patients (19 NICU patients and 35 SCN patients) fulfilled inclusion criteria for the study. The primary outcome of median time from birth to first dose of oral morphine did not differ between the two groups (42.5 hrs [NICU] vs 43 hrs [SCN], p=0.53). No significant differences were found between the morphine regimens used in the two units. The median length of hospital stay (27 days [NICU] vs 26 days [SCN], p=0.66) and median length of NICU/SCN stay (26 days [NICU] vs 23 days [SCN], p=0.75) were not statistically significantly different. Time between transfer to the NICU or SCN and administration of the first dose of oral morphine was significantly shorter in the SCN setting (28 hrs [NICU] vs 4 hrs [SCN], p=0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

This study found that infants treated for NAS had similar treatment in an NICU and an SCN. No difference was observed in time from birth to initiation of medication therapy. In addition, no differences were seen in all but one marker for quality of care including length of stay and cumulative morphine dose. Infants treated for NAS, whether in an NICU or SCN setting, can receive similar treatment and comparable outcomes.

Potential for Medicaid Savings: A State and National Comparison of an Innovative Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Treatment Model

In recent years, neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) rates have increased rapidly across the United States, rising from 1.2 (2000) to 5.8 (2012) per 1000 hospital births annually. Because most NAS infants are treated in an intensive care setting, associated hospital charges are high and continue to escalate, rising on average from $39,400 in 2000 to $66,700 in 2012. An innovative NAS treatment program, which includes early-initiated methadone therapy, rooming-in, and combined inpatient/outpatient weaning in a low-acuity nursery, has been in place since 2003 at a large Southeastern hospital. The program has proven safe, effective and low cost for treating infants of ≥35 weeks gestational age whose mothers used long-acting opioids. Given that 81% of NAS cases in the United States are funded by Medicaid programs and that the cost burden is rising rapidly, researchers considered the potential saved charges associated with implementing the same program in other hospitals state- and nationwide. Researchers used regression models to project state and national NAS birth rates from 2015-2025 and to predict future NAS charges under current treatment protocols. Three scenarios were developed to compare the potential saved charges of implementing the innovative NAS treatment program across the state and nation with assumptions related to the percent of NAS infants eligible for the program, percent funded by Medicaid, and fluctuations in average length of stay. The potential saved charges are substantial, creating a compelling case for policy makers and hospitals in the pursuit of safe, effective, and cost-conscious NAS care.

Intraprofessional Excellence in Nursing: Collaborative Strategies for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a growing public health concern, one that costs the health care system $190-$720 million each year. Recently, state-level perinatal quality collaborative groups have disseminated NAS action plans: customizable frameworks aimed to assist health care systems in identifying, evaluating, treating, and coordinating discharge services for neonates with NAS. Hospital-based neonatal nursing quality improvement teams, including neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs), neonatal clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), and clinical neonatal nurses, by virtue of their collective academic, administrative, and practical years of experience, are ideally positioned to develop, implement, and evaluate NAS care bundles. The article's purpose is to discuss key elements of an NAS care bundle using the framework of the Perinatal Quality Collaborative of North Carolina NAS action plan as an exemplar. Discussion of evidence-based and nursing-driven metrics will be followed by a discussion of the emerging concept of an inpatient-to-outpatient transitional care NAS management model.

A Novel Strategy for Attenuating Opioid Withdrawal in Neonates

The rate of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) has drastically increased over the past decade. The average hospital expense per NAS patient has tripled, while the number of babies born to opioid-dependent mothers has increased to 5 in 1000 births. Current treatment options are limited to opioid replacement and tapering. Consequently, we examined the efficacy of prenatal, low-dose and short-term vigabatrin (γ-vinyl GABA, GVG) exposure for attenuating these symptoms as well as the metabolic changes observed in the brains of these animals upon reaching adolescence. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were treated in one of four ways: 1) saline; 2) morphine alone; 3) morphine+GVG at 25 mg/kg; 4) morphine+GVG at 50 mg/kg. Morphine was administered throughout gestation, while GVG administration occurred only during the last 5 days of gestation. On post-natal day 1, naloxone-induced withdrawal behaviours were recorded in order to obtain a gross behaviour score. Approximately 28 days following birth, ¹⁸FDG microPET scans were obtained on these same animals (Groups 1, 2, and 4). Morphine-treated neonates demonstrated significantly higher withdrawal scores than saline controls. However, GVG at 50 but not 25 mg/kg/day significantly attenuated them. Upon reaching adolescence, morphine treated animals showed regionally specific changes in ¹⁸FDG uptake. Again, prenatal GVG exposure blocked them. These data demonstrate that low-dose, short-term prenatal GVG administration blocks naloxone-induced withdrawal in neonates. Taken together, these preliminary findings suggest that GVG may provide an alternative and long-lasting pharmacologic approach for the management of neonatal and adolescent symptoms associated with NAS.

A Comparison of Morphine Delivery in Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal

Current estimates of the prevalence of opioid withdrawal in newborns from the 2012 Better Outcomes Registry and Network Ontario reveal that more than 4 births per 1000 display recognizable symptoms of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). With a growing consensus surrounding aspects of newborn opioid withdrawal care, clinicians might agree that all infants exposed to maternal opioids require supportive observation and care to ensure appropriate adaptation and growth in the newborn period and, likewise, that there exists a smaller percentage of newborns who require additional pharmacotherapy. However, due to the dearth of comparative studies of NAS tools, there remains a lack of evidence to support the use of a specific NAS method of scoring or treatment. Two types of NAS treatment protocols currently in use include a symptom-only versus weight-based protocols. Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has used both models. A formal structured NAS tool and weight-based morphine delivery system began in our NICU in 1999. We audited all newborns with known exposure to maternal opioids in our NICU from the years 2000 to 2014. The Finnegan scoring tool was used throughout all years of the chart audit. Modifications made to the Finnegan scoring tool from the MOTHER study were adapted for use in our NICU at the same time as adopting the Johns Hopkins model of symptom-only based morphine delivery in 2006. The objective of this comparative study using a retrospective chart audit is to compare length of stay (LOS) and total accumulative morphine dose across these two morphine delivery protocols. Our audit revealed that there were a significantly higher proportion of newborns in the symptom-only model that received morphine and, perhaps accordingly, also had a significantly higher LOS compared to those in the weight-based model. Comparing only those infants who did receive morphine, the comparative total accumulative dose of morphine and LOS were not significantly different between the weight-based and symptom-only morphine delivery models.

Management of neonatal abstinence syndrome in the newborn nursery

Maternal drug use and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) are being seen across the United States. NAS occurs with withdrawal disturbances in response to the cessation of the pregnancy exposure. The clinical presentation of a newborn with NAS can include gastrointestinal, neurologic, vasomotor and respiratory symptoms. Assessment of newborns with NAS can often present as a challenge to maternal-child nurses. Treatment can include supportive care as well as pharmacologic therapies.

Design of pediatric oral formulations with a low proportion of methadone or phenobarbital for the treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome

CONTEXT

Elaboration of oral liquid formulations is the best alternative when no marketed forms are available for pediatrics.

OBJECTIVE

The development, characterization and stability evaluation of methadone (MI, MII, MIII) and phenobarbital (PI, PII) can be used for the treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A standard operating procedure was established and parameters such as appearance, pH, rheological behavior and drug content were evaluated at three temperatures for 90 days.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Changes in color of phenobarbital made necessary the storage below 25 °C. pH did not change in methadone solutions and was able to maintain phenobarbital solubilized. Degradation data at 4 °C fitted to Plateau equation followed by one phase decay. MI was stable for 60 days at the three temperatures; MII for 90 days at 4 and 25 °C and 60 days at 40 °C; MIII for 60 days at 4 °C, 15 days at 25 °C and 7 days at 4 °C. PI was stable for 60 days at 4 °C and 30 days at 25 °C. PII was stable for 7 days at 4 and 25 °C. All solutions met microbial specifications.

CONCLUSION

A correct dosage for the treatment of NAS was guaranteed.

Evidence-based nurse-driven interventions for the care of newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a growing problem in the United States, related to increased maternal substance use and abuse, and a set of drug withdrawal symptoms that can affect the central nervous system and gastrointestinal and respiratory systems in the newborn when separated from the placenta at birth. Infants with NAS often require a significant length of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Pharmacologic treatments and physician-directed interventions are well researched, but nursing-specific interventions and recommendations are lacking. A thorough review and analysis of the literature and interviews with neonatal experts guided the development of a nursing clinical practice guideline for infants with NAS in a level IV NICU. Recommended nursing-specific interventions include methods for maternal drug-use identification, initiation and timing of the Finnegan Scoring System to monitor withdrawal symptoms, and bedside interventions to lessen the drug-withdrawal symptoms in the newborn with NAS.

Review of the assessment and management of neonatal abstinence syndrome

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) secondary to in-utero opioid exposure is an increasing problem. Variability in assessment and treatment of NAS has been attributed to the lack of high-quality evidence to guide management of exposed neonates. This systematic review examines available evidence for NAS assessment tools, nonpharmacologic interventions, and pharmacologic management of opioid-exposed infants. There is limited data on the inter-observer reliability of NAS assessment tools due to lack of a standardized approach. In addition, most scales were developed prior to the prevalent use of prescribed prenatal concomitant medications, which can complicate NAS assessment. Nonpharmacologic interventions, particularly breastfeeding, may decrease NAS severity. Opioid medications such as morphine or methadone are recommended as first-line therapy, with phenobarbital or clonidine as second-line adjunctive therapy. Further research is needed to determine best practices for assessment, nonpharmacologic intervention, and pharmacologic management of infants with NAS in order to improve outcomes.

Neonatal abstinence syndrome

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a result of the sudden discontinuation of fetal exposure to substances that were used or abused by the mother during pregnancy. Withdrawal from licit or illicit substances is becoming more common among neonates in both developed and developing countries. NAS continues to be an important clinical entity throughout much of the world. NAS leads to a constellation of signs and symptoms involving multiple systems. The pathophysiology of NAS is not completely understood. Urine or meconium confirmation may assist the diagnosis and management of NAS. The Finnegan scoring system is commonly used to assess the severity of NAS; scoring can be helpful for initiating, monitoring, and terminating treatment in neonates. Nonpharmacological care is the initial treatment option, and pharmacological treatment is required if an improvement is not observed after nonpharmacological measures or if the infant develops severe withdrawal. Morphine is the most commonly used drug in the treatment of NAS secondary to opioids. An algorithmic approach to the management of infants with NAS is suggested. Breastfeeding is not contraindicated in NAS, unless the mother is taking street drugs, is involved in polydrug abuse, or is infected with HIV. Future studies are required to assess the long-term effects of NAS on children after prenatal exposure.

Neonatal abstinence syndrome: evaluating the effectiveness of an evidence-based multidisciplinary care approach

An evidence-based, multidisciplinary neonatal abstinence syndrome protocol was developed using a stepwise continuous quality improvement (CQI) approach with the goal of standardizing care procedures for these infants. A retrospective secondary data analysis was performed to evaluate the differential effects of each step of the CQI project on 4 key clinical outcome measures: length of stay (total and post-opioid wean), weaning time from opioids, and use of adjunct medications. Data were analyzed from 386 newborn infants with a diagnosis of neonatal abstinence syndrome undergoing treatment in a level III neonatal intensive care unit. After implementation of a pharmacologic weaning protocol as a foundational first step of the CQI project, the weaning time from opioids remained stable throughout each of the subsequent CQI steps (P = .905). The overall total neonatal intensive care unit length of stay was reduced by 10.35 days (P = .002), and the length of neonatal intensive care unit stay after completing wean from opioids was reduced by 2.79 days (P < .001). Use of adjunct medications also decreased from 30.1% of infants at the initiation of the CQI project to 24.5% at the completion of the project (P = .020). These findings indicate that this multidisciplinary treatment approach led to an overall improved efficiency of both opioid weaning and symptom management for these infants.

Buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid dependence in pregnancy

The treatment of opioid dependence during pregnancy has historically consisted of either medication-assisted withdrawal or maintenance treatment with methadone. Buprenorphine maintenance treatment is emerging as a treatment during pregnancy with distinct benefits for the neonate and the pregnant woman. Buprenorphine is effective in decreasing the risk of relapse in pregnant women. In addition, prenatal use of buprenorphine appears to decrease the severity and duration of neonatal abstinence syndrome as compared with methadone maintenance. Management of buprenorphine includes initiation and maintenance treatment as well as careful planning for pain control during and after delivery and prevention of postpartum relapse risk. Only very small amounts of buprenorphine enter breast milk, making it a good option for those who elect to breast-feed. There is evidence that emerging collaborative care models are effective ways to deliver buprenorphine maintenance treatment, although more investigation is needed to generalize this to the obstetric setting.

Behavioral effects of perinatal opioid exposure

Opioids are among the world's oldest known drugs used mostly for pain relief, but recreational use is also widespread. A particularly important problem is opioid exposure in females, as their offspring can also be affected. Adverse intrauterine and postnatal environments can affect offspring development and may lead to various disabilities later in life. It is clear that repetitive painful experiences, such as randomly occurring invasive procedures during neonatal intensive care, can permanently alter neuronal and synaptic organization and therefore later behavior. At the same time, analgesic drugs can also be harmful, inducing neuronal apoptosis or withdrawal symptoms in the neonate and behavioral alterations in adulthood. Hence, risk-benefit ratios should be taken into consideration when pain relief is required during pregnancy or in neonates. Recreational use of opioids can also alter many aspects of life. Intrauterine opioid exposure has many toxic effects, inducing poor pregnancy outcomes due to underdevelopment, but it is believed that later negative consequences are more related to environmental factors such as a chaotic lifestyle and inadequate prenatal care. One of the crucial components is maternal care, which changes profoundly in addicted mothers. In substance-dependent mothers, pre- and postnatal care has special importance, and controlled treatment with a synthetic opioid (e.g., methadone) could be beneficial. We aimed to summarize and compare human and rodent data, as it is important to close the gap between scientific knowledge and societal policies. Special emphasis is given to gender differences in the sensitivity of offspring to perinatal opioid exposure.

Oral clonidine in the management of acquired opioid dependency

Clonidine is a nonnarcotic analgesic historically used as a nasal decongestant and more recently established as an antihypertensive agent in adults. Because of its sedative properties with few adverse effects, clonidine has also been reported to be an effective pharmacologic agent for the treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). The use of oral clonidine as a primary or secondary agent in the treatment of NAS has been found to reduce hospitalization and duration of treatment in this population.

Buprenorphine use in pregnant opioid users: a critical review

Pregnancy in opioid users poses a number of problems to treating physicians. Most guidelines recommend maintenance treatment to manage opioid addiction in pregnancy, with methadone being the gold standard. More recently, buprenorphine has been discussed as an alternate medication. The use and efficacy of buprenorphine in pregnancy is still controversial. This article reviews the current database on the basis of a detailed and critical literature search performed in MEDLINE (206 counts). Most of the relevant studies (randomised clinical trials and one national cohort sample) were published in the last 2 years and mainly compared buprenorphine with methadone. Some studies are related to maternal outcomes, others to foetal, neonatal or older child outcomes. With respect to maternal outcomes, most studies suggest that buprenorphine has similar effects to methadone. Very few data from small studies discuss an effect of buprenorphine on neurodevelopment of the foetus. Neonatal abstinence syndrome is common in infants of both buprenorphine- and methadone-maintained mothers. As regards neonatal outcomes, buprenorphine has the same clinical outcome as methadone, although some newer studies suggest that it causes fewer withdrawal symptoms. Since hardly any studies have investigated the combination of buprenorphine with naloxone (which has been suggested to possibly have teratogenic effects) in pregnant women, a switch to buprenorphine monotherapy is recommended in women who become pregnant while receiving the combination product. These novel findings indicate that buprenorphine is emerging as a first-line treatment for pregnant opioid users.

When the usual symptoms become an unusual diagnosis: a case report of trifunctional protein complex

Disorders of mitochondrial fatty acid b-oxidation should be considered in any infant who presents with unexplained hypoglycemia and/or myopathy. Although disorders of trifunctional protein (TFP) complex including long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) and mitochondrial TFP deficiencies are extremely rare, the combined incidence of mitochondrial fatty acid disorders is quite frequent. With the expansion of newborn screening, what were once considered uncommon disorders are being identified with increasing frequency in asymptomatic infants. The following case scenario presents an infant who developed symptoms prior to the completion of newborn screening. This fairly routine course for a late-preterm infant reveals an extremely rare inborn error of metabolism, LCHAD deficiency. An overview of TFP complex, the differential diagnoses as the case unfolds, diagnostic test results, acute care management, and short-term patient follow-up is presented. With experience, health care providers often become accustomed to and expect to see common things regularly. This case presents a scenario which, as it unfolds, appears to be quite common. It turns out, however, to be very uncommon.

Necrotizing enterocolitis in term infants

This article is an overview of NEC in term neonates and also summarizes data from 52 cases within Intermountain Healthcare during the last 11 years. In all 52, NEC occurred among neonates already admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit for some other reason; thus, NEC invariably developed as a complication of treatment, not as a primary diagnosis. The authors speculate that the incidence of term NEC can be reduced by identifying neonatal intensive care unit patients at risk for NEC and applying appropriate-volume human milk feeding programs for these patients.

Novel pharmacotherapeutic strategies for treatment of opioid-induced neonatal abstinence syndrome

The non-medical use of prescription drugs, in general, and opioids, in particular, is a national epidemic, resulting in enormous addiction rates, healthcare expenditures, and overdose deaths. Prescription opioids are overly prescribed, illegally trafficked, and frequently abused, all of which have created a new opioid addiction pathway, adding to the number of opioid-dependent newborns requiring treatment for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), and contributing to challenges in effective care in maternal and fetal/neonatal (M-F/N) medicine. The standard of care for illicit or prescription opioid dependence during pregnancy is opioid agonist (methadone or buprenorphine) substitution therapy, which are also frequently abused. The next generation of pharmacotherapies for the treatment of illicit or prescription opioid addiction in the M-F/N interactional dyad must take into consideration the interplay between genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Addiction to illicit drugs during pregnancy presents unique challenges to effectively treat the mother, and the developing fetus and infant after delivery. New pharmacotherapies should be safe to the developing fetus, effective in treating the physical and psychological consequences of addiction in the mother, and reduce the incidence and severity of NAS in the infant after birth. More pharmacotherapeutic options should be available to the physician such that a more individualized rather than a one-drug/strategy-fits-all approach can be used. A myriad of new and exciting pharmacotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of opioid dependence and addiction are on the horizon. This review focuses on such three strategies: (i) pharmacotherapeutic targeting of the serotonergic system; (ii) mixed opioid immunotherapeutics (vaccines); (iii) pharmacogenomics as a therapeutic strategy to insure personalized care. We review and discuss how these strategies may offer additional treatment modalities for the treatment of M-F/N during pregnancy and the treatment of the infant after birth.

Treatment of opioid dependence in the setting of pregnancy

Opioid dependence in the setting of pregnancy provides a distinct set of challenges for providers. Treatment plans must take into consideration psychiatric and medical comorbidities while balancing risks and benefits for the maternal-fetal dyad. Treatment is best offered through a comprehensive treatment program designed to effectively deliver opioid agonist maintenance treatment along with psychosocial and obstetric care. As misuse of prescription analgesics increases in the United States, identification of the problem in pregnancy will become more important because this misuse is expected to lead to an increased prevalence of opioid dependence in pregnancy. Buprenorphine as maintenance treatment of opioid dependence during pregnancy has promise and may offer some benefits, but more research is needed, especially regarding induction of actively addicted women during pregnancy. For the present, methadone maintenance remains the standard of care for agonist treatment of opioid dependence in pregnancy against which other treatments must be compared.