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Assessment of the relative clinical utility of shortened Finnegan neonatal abstinence scoring tools. J Perinatol 2022; 42:1051-1057. [PMID: 35660789 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-022-01419-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the proposed shortened tools based on the Finnegan neonatal abstinence scoring tool (FNAS) for relative clinical utility. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study comparing shortened tools with FNAS on need for treatment, medication initiation cutoff score agreement, and length of treatment in 369 infants with prenatal opioid exposure using estimated areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves, Pearson and Spearman correlations, and proportion correctly classified, sensitivity, and specificity. RESULTS The tools by Gomez et al. and Chervoneva et al. are most predictive of the FNAS cut-off values to initiate treatment, have cutoff values that best align with the FNAS cutoff values, and strongly correlate with the FNAS (r ≥ 0.88 corresponding to treatment initiation, r ≥ 0.83 during first 10 days of treatment). CONCLUSION The tools of Gomez and Chervoneva demonstrated potential clinical usefulness by strongly associating with the need for treatment and monitoring the course of NAS therapy.
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Maternal opioid use disorder: Placental transcriptome analysis for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Genomics 2021; 113:3610-3617. [PMID: 34352367 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Excessive prenatal opioid exposure may lead to the development of Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS). RNA-seq was done on 64 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded placental tissue samples from 32 mothers with opioid use disorder, with newborns with NOWS that required treatment, and 32 prenatally unexposed controls. We identified 93 differentially expressed genes in the placentas of infants with NOWS compared to unexposed controls. There were 4 up- and 89 downregulated genes. Among these, 7 genes CYP1A1, APOB, RPH3A, NRXN1, LINC01206, AL157396.1, UNC80 achieved an FDR p-value of <0.01. The remaining 87 genes were significant with FDR p-value <0.05. The 4 upregulated, CYP1A1, FP671120.3, RAD1, RN7SL856P, and the 10 most significantly downregulated genes were RNA5SP364, GRIN2A, UNC5D, DMBT1P1, MIR3976HG, LINC02199, LINC02822, PANTR1, AC012178.1, CTNNA2. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis identified the 7 most likely to play an important role in the etiology of NOWS. Our study expands insights into the genetic mechanisms of NOWS development.
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Oji-Mmuo CN, Jones AN, Wu EY, Speer RR, Palmer T. Clinical care of neonates undergoing opioid withdrawal in the immediate postpartum period. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2021; 86:106978. [PMID: 33838247 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2021.106978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
As the opioid epidemic escalates in westernized countries around the world, chronic opioid use during pregnancy has become a growing public health issue. There are increasing concerns that chronic maternal opioid use might adversely affect the developing fetal brain. Furthermore, the sudden discontinuation of the trans-placental opioid supply at birth puts newborns at acute risk for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). NOWS is a multi-system disorder that has been identified in approximately 50-80% of neonates exposed to opioids due to chronic maternal use. Clinically, NOWS affects the central and autonomic nervous systems as well as the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. The clinical features of NOWS include hyperirritability, high-pitched crying, restlessness, tremors, poor sleep, agitation, seizures, sweating, fever, poor feeding, regurgitation, diarrhea, and tachypnea. NOWS is currently diagnosed using a clinical scoring tool followed by toxicological confirmation of the presence of opioids in meconium or tissue specimens. The first-line treatments for NOWS are non-pharmacologic comfort measures. If these measures fail, neonates may be treated with opioids and/or sedatives. Since the severity of NOWS can be highly variable, it is quite difficult to predict which opioid-exposed neonates will require pharmacotherapy and prolonged hospitalization. Factors associated with maternal polysubstance use, including the use of illicit substances and tobacco, have been associated with the increased severity and duration of NOWS. Since neonates with NOWS are at increased risk for long-term adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, ongoing monitoring beyond the neonatal period is essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiana N Oji-Mmuo
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
| | - Antoinette N Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Emma Y Wu
- Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca R Speer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Timothy Palmer
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
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Barger MK. Current Resources for Evidence-Based Practice, March/April 2021. J Midwifery Womens Health 2021; 66:274-281. [PMID: 33788383 DOI: 10.1111/jmwh.13229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mary K Barger
- Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, Beyster Institute for Nursing Research, University of San Diego, San Diego, California
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Abstract
BACKGROUND There has been an increase in infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) over the past several decades. Infants with NAS experience withdrawal as a result of the sudden termination at birth of substance exposure during pregnancy. A serious sign related to infants diagnosed with NAS is poor feeding. The prevalence of NAS urges researchers and clinicians to develop effective strategies and techniques to treat and manage the poor feeding of infants exposed to substances in utero. PURPOSE To synthesize current feeding methods and practices used for infants diagnosed with NAS. METHODS/SEARCH STRATEGY PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus were searched for articles published within the last 20 years that focused on feeding practices or feeding schedules, were written in English, were peer-reviewed, and described human studies. The search terms utilized were "neonatal abstinence syndrome" OR "neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome" AND "feeding." FINDINGS/RESULTS Three findings emerged regarding techniques and management of poor feeding in the NAS population. The findings included infants who received mother's own milk had decreased severity and later onset of clinical signs of withdrawal, demand feeding is recommended, and the infant's cues may be helpful to follow when feeding. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Clinicians should encourage mother's own milk in this population unless contraindications are present. Caregivers and clinicians must be receptive to cues when feeding infants with NAS. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH Even with the clinical knowledge and experience that infants with NAS are difficult to feed, there is limited research assessing techniques and schedules that are effective in managing successful feeding. Future research should compare feeding schedules such as on-demand feeding versus regimented feeding schedules, as well as investigate techniques that mothers and nurses can utilize to encourage oral intake in this population.Video abstract available at https://journals.lww.com/advancesinneonatalcare/Pages/videogallery.aspx?autoPlay=false&videoId=37.
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Curran M, Holt C, Arciero M, Quinlan J, Cox D, Craig A. Proxy Finnegan Component Scores for Eat, Sleep, Console in a Cohort of Opioid-Exposed Neonates. Hosp Pediatr 2020; 10:1053-1058. [PMID: 33199395 DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2020-0190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Score (FNAS) monitors infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), but it has been criticized for being time consuming and subjective. Many institutions have transitioned to a more straightforward screening tool, Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC), an assessment based on 3 simple observations with a focus on maximizing nonpharmacologic therapies. We aimed to compare the sensitivity and specificity of the ESC with that of the FNAS to determine if infants who needed pharmacologic therapy could potentially be missed when assessed by using ESC. METHODS A retrospective cohort study of infants identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision billing codes for NAS. FNAS scores were recorded every 4 hours for the entire hospitalization. ESC proxy scores were created by using components of the FNAS that referenced eating, sleeping, and consoling. Detailed demographic and clinical data were manually extracted regarding opioid exposures and pharmacologic treatment of NAS. RESULTS From 2013 to 2016, 423 infants ≥37 weeks' gestation had a total of 33 115 FNAS scores over 921 days of observation. In total, 287 (68%) were exposed to buprenorphine, 100 (23.7%) were exposed to methadone, and 165 (39%) were pharmacologically treated. The FNAS was 94.8% sensitive and 63.5% specific for pharmacologic treatment, and the ESC proxy variables were 99.4% sensitive and 40.2% specific (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS ESC proxy variables have slightly higher sensitivity compared with FNAS, suggesting that ESC use is unlikely to miss infants requiring treatment who would have been identified by FNAS. Transitioning from FNAS to ESC is not likely to impair the care of infants with NAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Curran
- Department of Family Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine; and
| | - Christina Holt
- Department of Family Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine; and
| | - Michael Arciero
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, Maine
| | - James Quinlan
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, Maine
| | - David Cox
- Department of Pediatrics, The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital and
| | - Alexa Craig
- Department of Pediatrics, The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital and
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Agana M, Vos D, Williams M, Baumgartner H, Soares N. Using Simulation in Training Pediatric Residents on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Scoring: An Experimental Study. Adv Neonatal Care 2020; 20:E85-E92. [PMID: 32868594 DOI: 10.1097/anc.0000000000000713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is characterized by significant physiological and behavioral signs involving multiple-organ systems in neonates following a prenatal exposure to opioids and other nonopioid drugs. Neonatal abstinence syndrome can result in serious morbidity, and even death, if unrecognized and untreated. The purpose of this study was to develop a simulation model of a standard video training of the Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System (FNAS) and investigate the perceptions of comfort and competency of pediatric residents undergoing video or simulation training. METHODS Thirty-one pediatric and medicine-pediatric residents participated in this single-blinded randomized intervention study. The experimental group completed demonstrated simulation while the control group received the traditional video instruction. Both groups completed FNAS scoring on a case of a neonate with NAS. The FNAS scores of residents were compared with the scores of 2 expert raters. Pre- and posttraining and preference surveys were obtained from all participants. RESULTS Both experimental and control groups scored the FNAS scenario similarly and were also similar to the expert raters. Both groups also reported comparable levels of comfort and competency after the training, though first-year residents reported greater improvement than upper-level residents. The FNAS scores from expert raters were identical for the simulation and video scenarios. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Although this study showed that a simulation training module can be used as a standardized teaching method to administer the FNAS, it can be cost-prohibitive and daunting to produce. Nursing professionals need to be aware of medical education training around FNAS due to the interdisciplinary nature of care for neonates with NAS. Institutions should consider implementing a diversity of practices and models with an interdisciplinary approach to training assessment of the neonate with NAS. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH A more hands-on, less cost-prohibitive simulation training needs to be developed to teach FNAS administration with a broader range of professionals including interdisciplinary teams of nursing and medical professionals.
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Development of an abbreviated symptom score for the neonatal abstinence syndrome. J Perinatol 2020; 40:1031-1040. [PMID: 32076111 PMCID: PMC7319884 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-020-0606-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We sought a shortened MOTHER neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and Finnegan score that would retain comparable performance characteristics of the full instrument. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort. RESULTS In total, 124,170 MOTHER NAS scores between August 2007 and May 2016 from 775 infants (≥36 weeks) were examined. Classification and regression tree model identified the most important subsets of the scored variables. A 9-element shortened scale yielded >90% sensitivity and specificity to predict clinical endpoints based on the full 19-element MOTHER NAS score. Conversion of the data sets to the Finnegan score, and applying the same procedure resulted in a nine-element score with similar performance characteristics. CONCLUSION Shortened scoring instruments were identified with the high-predictive power for clinical endpoints based on the 19-element full MOTHER NAS score. There was no substantial variation in performance for age, supporting the current practice of utilizing a single scoring tool regardless of postnatal age.
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Managing Abstinence in Newborns (MAiN): Redesigning NAS care for the mother/baby unit. Healthcare (Basel) 2020; 8:100404. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hjdsi.2019.100404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Abstract
Opioid use and abuse have skyrocketed in the United States over the last decade. As a result, we have seen a substantial increase in neonates who are exposed to opioids in-utero. Anywhere from 55% to 94% of infants exposed to opioids will experience withdrawal, known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), and will require management of their symptoms in the hospital. It is important to know what to look for in an infant who is experiencing NAS, how to determine if treatment is needed and what type of treatment is indicated, and how to prepare the infant for discharge once they are stable. Unfortunately, there are no standardized care plans in place for the management of this population. Although assessment tools such as the Finnegan scoring systems are available, they are not validated and can be cumbersome and difficult to administer. Other methods of assessment are being studied and may prove to be more useful in the clinical setting of neonatal withdrawal. Neither nonpharmacologic nor pharmacologic interventions are standardized, with individual institutions determining their plan of care. Development of more standardized care could significantly improve the management of these patients. [Pediatr Ann. 2020;49(1):e3-e7.].
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Oji-Mmuo CN, Speer RR, Gardner FC, Marvin MM, Hozella AC, Doheny KK. Prenatal opioid exposure heightens sympathetic arousal and facial expressions of pain/distress in term neonates at 24-48 hours post birth. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2019; 33:3879-3886. [PMID: 30821185 PMCID: PMC7197408 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2019.1588876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: The rising issue of opioid use during pregnancy poses an increased risk of fetal exposure to opioids in-utero and the development of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). The cessation of exposure to opioids upon birth causes elevated levels of norepinephrine in the circulation enhancing sympathetic arousal. Skin conductance (SC) detects sympathetic-mediated sweating while the Neonatal Facial Coding System (NFCS) depicts facial expressions of stress and pain. We hypothesize that there will be a direct correlation between SC and NFCS scores, such that neonates with prenatal opioid exposure will have higher SC and facial responses to pain/stress as compared with healthy neonates without prenatal opioid exposure.Objective: This study evaluates the utility of SC and the NFCS in the objective assessment of early postnatal pain response in opioid-exposed and non-opioid exposed neonates.Methods: This prospective, single-center, pilot study enrolled opioid-exposed term neonates (>37 weeks) and healthy controls. Subjects were observed within 24-48 hours post-birth (and prior to opioid withdrawal) for pain at baseline, during, and post-heel lance/squeeze (HLS) with simultaneously measured SC and videotaped facial expressions. SC data included electro-dermal responses over time (EDR/second) and the average amplitude of responses (mean of peaks [MP]). Video data were scored using the NFCS by two trained coders with inter-rater agreement >85%.Results: SC and NFCS scores were significantly associated with both groups. The opioid-exposed neonates had significantly higher skin conductance indices, EDR/sec for the HLS phase, and MP for HLS and post phases as compared with controls (p < .05). Opioid-exposed neonates demonstrated higher NFCS at baseline (p = .003).Conclusions: Prenatal opioid exposure was associated with heightened sympathetic arousal during both pain and recovery phases and higher facial expressions of pain/distress at baseline only. A multimodal system of assessment may be useful in understanding the complexity and severity of opioid withdrawal associated with NAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiana N. Oji-Mmuo
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, Hershey, PA.,Department of Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA
| | - Rebecca R. Speer
- Department of Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA
| | | | - Megan M. Marvin
- Department of Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA
| | - Alexia C. Hozella
- Department of Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA
| | - Kim K. Doheny
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, Hershey, PA.,Department of Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA.,Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA
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Whalen BL, Holmes AV, Blythe S. Models of care for neonatal abstinence syndrome: What works? Semin Fetal Neonatal Med 2019; 24:121-132. [PMID: 30926259 DOI: 10.1016/j.siny.2019.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Opioid use disorders and the prescription of long-acting medications for their treatment have increased dramatically over the last decade among pregnant women. Newborns who experience prolonged in utero opioid exposure may develop neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Until recently, much of the focus on improving care for NAS has been on pharmacologically-based care models. Recent studies have illustrated the benefits of rooming-in and parental presence on NAS outcomes. Single center Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives demonstrate the benefits of non-pharmacologic care bundles and symptom prioritization in decreasing the proportion of infants pharmacologically treated and length of hospital stay. Little remains known about the impact of these varied cared models on maternal-infant attachment and mental health. In this review article, we will propose an optimal model of care to improve short- and long-term outcomes for newborns, their mothers and families, and perinatal care systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonny L Whalen
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, DHMC Pediatrics, One Medical Center Dr., Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA.
| | - Alison V Holmes
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, The Dartmouth Institute, DHMC Pediatrics, One Medical Center Dr, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA.
| | - Stacy Blythe
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Translational Health Research Institute (THRI), Locked Bag 1797, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
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Marcellus L. Social Ecological Examination of Factors That Influence the Treatment of Newborns With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2018; 47:509-519. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jogn.2018.04.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/01/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
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Gomez-Pomar E, Finnegan LP. The Epidemic of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Historical References of Its' Origins, Assessment, and Management. Front Pediatr 2018; 6:33. [PMID: 29520355 PMCID: PMC5827164 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2018.00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) refers to a constellation of signs that are present in some newborn infants resulting from the abrupt cessation of passive transfer of maternal opioids used during pregnancy. The classic NAS refers to infants born to mothers who used opioids during pregnancy, but the term has broadened to include infants whose mothers have used or abused other psychoactive substances during pregnancy that contribute to the expression of the syndrome. Pregnant women who use opioids do so illicitly, and/or as medically prescribed for pain relief, and/or as medication assisted treatment for opioid dependence. The first case of NAS in infants and the subsequent treatment (or lack thereof) was reported in 1875 and was called Congenital Morphinism. By 2012, the incidence of NAS increased to more than 30 per 1,000 hospital live births, along with an increase in the number of infants being treated pharmacologically for NAS, resulting in an increase in the length of stay and healthcare expenses. We present historical references on NAS, the various factors and events that led to its increasing prevalence and today's current epidemic. We also review the current tools to assess infants with NAS and treatment options in its management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Gomez-Pomar
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Loretta P. Finnegan
- The College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Inc., Philadelphia, PA, United States
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