title: High-dose methadone in pregnant women and its effect on duration of neonatal abstinence syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine high-dose methadone in pregnant women and its effect on the duration of neonatal abstinence syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective chart review of 68 neonates and their mothers who received methadone therapy during pregnancy. The last dosage of maternal methadone just before delivery and the length of treatment for neonatal abstinence syndrome were examined with an analysis of variance model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When the data were analyzed for methadone dosages as a continuous variable, each 1-mg increase in the last maternal methadone dosage before delivery was associated with an additional 0.18 days of infant treatment for neonatal abstinence syndrome (P < .001; 95% CI, 0.112-0.255). In other words, every increase of 5.5 mg of methadone in the mother was associated statistically with 1 additional day of neonatal abstinence syndrome treatment for the infant. Gestational age at delivery and birthweight were not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher doses of maternal methadone were associated with an increase in diagnosis and longer duration of neonatal abstinence syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Beaverton, OR 97005, USA. susie.x.lim@kp.org
authors.forename: Susie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Mona R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Samuels
authors.forename: Debra K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Leandro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cordero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009357:Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D008691:Methadone; D010634:Phenobarbital