Pharmacologic treatment of infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome in community hospitals compared to academic medical centers

Hayley Friedman; Gregory Parkinson; Hocine Tighiouart; Catherine Parkinson; David Tybor; Norma Terrin; Barry Lester; Karen Harvey-Wilkes; Jonathan M Davis

doi:10.1038/s41372-018-0230-8

Pharmacologic treatment of infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome in community hospitals compared to academic medical centers

J Perinatol. 2018 Dec;38(12):1651-1656. doi: 10.1038/s41372-018-0230-8. Epub 2018 Sep 20.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Division of Newborn Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
² Cape Cod Health, Hyannis, MA, USA.
³ The Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ The Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
⁵ School of Public Health, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
⁶ Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infant's Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
⁷ Division of Newborn Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. [email protected].
⁸ The Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA. [email protected].

PMID: 30237476
DOI: 10.1038/s41372-018-0230-8

Abstract

Objective: To compare length of hospital stay (LOS), LOS due to neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), and duration of pharmacologic treatment in community or academic settings.

Study design: One hundred-two infants exposed to opioids in utero at two community hospitals were compared to 256 from eight academic centers. All infants were managed with non-pharmacologic care followed by similar pharmacologic treatment options.

Results: Two hundred-twelve infants received pharmacologic treatment for NAS. Mean LOS (24.7 ± 8.5 vs. 24.5 ± 11.3 days), LOS due to NAS (24.0 ± 8.2 vs. 23.3 ± 9.2 days), and duration of NAS treatment (19.3 ± 8.0 vs. 18.9 ± 9.2 days) were similar in community compared to academic medical centers.

Conclusions: No significant differences were found in infants managed in the community compared to academic care settings. These findings support caring for opioid-exposed infants in both community and academic settings with the use of standardized care protocols.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Multicenter Study
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Academic Medical Centers / organization & administration*
Delivery of Health Care / organization & administration
Female
Hospitals, Community / organization & administration*
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Length of Stay / statistics & numerical data*
Logistic Models
Male
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome / drug therapy*
Opiate Substitution Treatment
Treatment Outcome
United States

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding