Inclusion of Positive Self-reporting by Mothers of Substance Exposed Neonates Increases the Predictability of NAS Severity Over Toxicology Alone.

OBJECTIVES: The rise in opioid use among pregnant women has resulted in an increase in the incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Despite the focus on opioid use, prenatal polysubstance exposure is often associated with NAS diagnosis and severity. Drug toxicology screens such as urine drug screens and umbilical cord toxicology are dependent upon the substance, timing, frequency, and dose to detect substances present and can underestimate the neonatal exposure. The aim of this study was to identify the predictability of the consequences of prenatal polysubstance exposure versus opioid only exposure based on toxicology and toxicology plus self-report. METHODS: Neonates > 35 weeks gestation with prenatal opioid exposure were included in this retrospective data analysis. NAS was identified using maternal urine drug screen (UDS) toxicology, self-reported exposure during pregnancy, and neonatal toxicology. Analysis was conducted using Stata 15.1 utilizing McNemar's test, chi-square for categorical outcomes, and Wilcoxon test for numerical outcomes. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference in length of stay and length of treatment with poly-exposed neonates was observed when maternal self-report was considered with toxicology, but not with toxicology alone. This trend was observed for cumulative hospital length of stay as well as length and dose of treatment. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: The findings in this report demonstrate that self-report is important for identifying substance of exposure. Three substances in particular that often require a change in treatment paradigm went undetected by toxicology were Gabapentin (20.9% of the population), Heroin (20.5% of the population), and Benzodiazepines (8.5% of the population). A healthy rapport with patients is often critical to effective clinical practice. Women with substance use disorder anticipate negative reactions from healthcare providers. Empathetic interview techniques to facilitate accurate disclosure may be more important to the treatment of the exposed neonate.

Identifying Co-Exposure to Opiates and Gabapentin During Pregnancy.

Neonatal withdrawal can be difficult to treat in infants with co-exposure to opiates and gabapentin. Because maternal self-report can underestimate exposures, we evaluated the effect of universal toxicology screening for gabapentin. Identification of co-exposure to opiates and gabapentin increased after implementation of toxicology screening, with implications for improved neonatal care.

History of postpartum depression as a contributor to the severity of NAS.

Currently, there are no clinical tools available to accurately predict the severity of neonatal withdrawal. Studies of non-exposed neonates suggest that maternal depression and anxiety are predictive of negative short and long-term neonatal outcomes, but research is lacking in the addicted population. We studied of 109 pregnant women in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and their neonates to determine if psychiatric conditions co-occurring with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) contributed to the severity of neonatal withdrawal. The need for pharmacological intervention, Finnegan scores, length of methadone treatment, and length of hospital stay were used to assess withdrawal severity. Categorical variables were analyzed in Stata14 using Chi Square and continuous variables were analyzed using Wilcoxon Rank Sum. Among the 110 neonates whose outcomes were reviewed, a maternal history of Postpartum Depression (PPD) was found to be correlated with increased severity of withdrawal. The neonates born to mothers with past diagnoses of PPD had more consecutive days of high Finnegan scores (95% confidence interval [CI], P = 0.003), longer length of treatment (95% CI, P = 0.006), and length of hospital stay (95% CI, P = 0.014). There was no apparent relationship between NAS severity and other psychiatric disorders. In a study of pregnant women with SUD and their neonates, we uncovered a relationship between the severity of NAS and maternal history of PPD. Our findings demonstrate that further research into these deleterious outcomes is warranted. Until then, we suggest collection of maternal history of PPD and careful screening for new cases in the SUD population.

Capturing the statewide incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome in real time: the West Virginia experience.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is one of the consequences at birth affecting the newborn after discontinuation of prenatal drug exposure to mainly opioids. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of the problem in the state of West Virginia (WV) using a real-time statewide surveillance system. METHODS: Project WATCH is a surveillance tool that since 1998 collects data on all infants born in the state of WV. NAS surveillance item was added to the tool in October 2016. This study examined all births (N = 23,667) in WV from October to December 2017. The data from six WV birthing facilities were audited for 1 month to evaluate how well this tool was capturing NAS data using κ-statistics. RESULTS: The 2017 annual incidence rate of NAS was 51.3 per 1000 live births per year for all births and 50.6 per 1000 live births per year for WV residents only. The κ-coefficient between the hospital medical records and Project WATCH data was 0.74 (95% confidence interval: 0.66-0.82) for NAS. CONCLUSION: The study provides justification to develop effective systems of care for the mother-infant dyad affected by substance use, especially targeting pregnant women in rural communities.

Novel Withdrawal Symptoms of a Neonate Prenatally Exposed to a Fentanyl Analog.

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a withdrawal syndrome observed in neonates exposed to drugs in utero, typically opioids, which is associated with symptoms affecting the central and autonomic nervous systems and the gastrointestinal system. West Virginia, particularly the southeastern region of the state, has remarkably higher rates of NAS than similar communities. Our facility is increasingly faced with complex cases of NAS caused by in utero exposure to multiple substances. We present a case report of a neonate born to a 25-year-old mother enrolled in a medication-assisted treatment program for substance use disorder who was noncompliant in prenatal care, using multiple substances throughout the pregnancy, including gabapentin and fentanyl. After birth, the neonate began to exhibit unusual withdrawal symptoms including arching, tongue thrusting, and irregular eye movements, which are typically associated with in utero gabapentin exposure. The parents denied consent to treat with gabapentin, the suggested management for these symptoms; thus, a treatment protocol for methadone and clonidine were followed. This case exemplifies the medical and social complexities involved in treating polysubstance exposure-associated NAS.

An Atypical Withdrawal Syndrome in Neonates Prenatally Exposed to Gabapentin and Opioids.

We report a retrospective case series of 19 infants exposed to both opioids and gabapentin prenatally. We describe a unique behavioral phenotype in 15 of these infants and report a treatment strategy.