A recent NIH-funded study demonstrates that a symptom-based, as-needed opioid treatment approach for infants with NOWS results in quicker recovery and earlier discharge compared to scheduled dosing, improving neonatal care outcomes.
The treatment pathway is “symptom-based” and “as-needed” rather than scheduled dosing. 383 infants participated in the study. All had moderate to severe NOWS and “were cared for with the family-centered Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) approach.” About half were given scheduled opioids, with a lower dose over time. The other half experienced the symptom-based pathway. The latter group only received opioid medication “when their signs of withdrawal reached a prespecified threshold and only received additional doses if their withdrawal severity once again reached the threshold for treatment.”
The researchers wanted to prevent the over and undertreatment sometimes experienced by infants receiving scheduled opioid dosing. They found that the symptom-based pathway led to faster recovery. Participants in this group went home two days before the scheduled dosing infants.
