title: Prematurity reduces the severity and need for treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study determined the influence of prematurity on the manifestation and treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a medical record review of Australian infants exposed to opiates in 2004 and 2007. Finnegan scores were obtained for 215 of 361 (59%) preterm infants under 37-week gestation and 694 of 1178 (59%) term infants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean and standard deviation (SD) gestational ages were 34 (3) and 38 (3) weeks for preterm and term infants, respectively. Maternal daily methadone doses were similar for the preterm and term infants with a mean (SD) of 79 mg (39) versus 72 mg (38) (p = 0.06). Maximum Finnegan scores were significantly lower in preterm infants (10 versus 11, p = 0.01), scores were positively correlated with gestation and fewer preterm infants were medicated for NAS (40% versus 48% p = 0.05). Maximum median daily and interquartile range morphine doses were lower for preterm than term infants (0.5 mg/kg/day (0.3-0.6) versus 0.5 mg/kg/day (0.4-0.7), p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preterm infants were just as likely to be monitored for withdrawal as term infants, but their Finnegan scores were lower and fewer preterm infants were treated for NAS. Whether this indicates decreased NAS severity or physiological immaturity is uncertain. Other means of evaluating NAS in preterm infants are warranted, especially long-term outcomes.
authors.affiliation: School of Women's and Children's Heath, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Radhika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ruwanpathirana
authors.forename: Mohamed E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Abdel-Latif
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.forename: Ju Lee
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Oei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020958:Australian Capital Territory / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009357:Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D009294:Narcotics; D009020:Morphine; D010634:Phenobarbital
keywords: Finnegan score; Gestation; Neonatal abstinence syndrome; Opiates; Preterm