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Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition 2003;88:F2-F5; doi:10.1136/fn.88.1.F2
Copyright © 2003 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Archives of Disease in Childhood Fetal and Neonatal Edition 2003;88:F2-F5
© 2003 Archives of Disease in Childhood Fetal and Neonatal Edition

REVIEW

Treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome

K Johnson1, C Gerada2 and A Greenough1

1 Children Nationwide Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Centre, Department of Child Health, King’s College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
2 The Hurley Clinic, Kennington Lane, London SE11 4HJ, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr Johnson, Department of Child Health, 4th floor, Ruskin Wing, King’s College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK:
kathryn.2.johnson{at}kcl.ac.uk

ABSTRACT

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is suffered by infants withdrawing from substances on which they have become physically dependent after in utero exposure. They may require prolonged treatment and spend weeks or even months in hospital. A wide range of drugs have been used to treat NAS. The efficacy of few, however, have been adequately investigated. Evidence suggests that opioids are the most appropriate, at least in infants exposed to diamorphine or methadone. In all "head to head" trials, diazepam has been shown to be ineffective. Morphine and methadone are currently the most commonly prescribed opioids to treat NAS, but randomised trials have not been undertaken to determine which is the more beneficial. Many infants with NAS have been exposed to multiple substances in utero. Further research is required into whether a single opiate or a multiple drug regimen is the best option for such patients.

Keywords: neonatal abstinence syndrome; drug abuse


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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • O'Grady, M J, Hopewell, J, White, M J (2009). Management of neonatal abstinence syndrome: a national survey and review of practice. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 94: F249-F252 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Agthe, A. G., Kim, G. R., Mathias, K. B., Hendrix, C. W., Chavez-Valdez, R., Jansson, L., Lewis, T. R., Yaster, M., Gauda, E. B. (2009). Clonidine as an Adjunct Therapy to Opioids for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Pediatrics 123: e849-e856 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kraft, W. K., Gibson, E., Dysart, K., Damle, V. S., LaRusso, J. L., Greenspan, J. S., Moody, D. E., Kaltenbach, K., Ehrlich, M. E. (2008). Sublingual Buprenorphine for Treatment of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A Randomized Trial. Pediatrics 122: e601-e607 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kassim, Z., Greenough, A. (2005). Effects of substance abuse during pregnancy. The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health 125: 212-214  

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