Improving Outcomes in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

1: SPECIFIC Aim I: To compare treatment options for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) due to in-utero narcotic exposure. One hundred eighty four full-term infants with a diagnosis of NAS requiring medications will be studied. Infants will be randomized to receive either morphine or methadone. It is hypothesized that morphine treated infants will do better and require fewer days in the hospital compared to methadone treated infants.

2. SPECIFIC Aim II: To evaluate the effects of NAS treatment on long-term neurodevelopmental outcome. Infants will be evaluated with development testing at 18 months of age. It is hypothesized that morphine treated infants will have better neurodevelopmental outcomes. It is also hypothesized that neurobehavioral abnormalities identified at two weeks of age will correlate with neurodevelopmental impairment at 18 months.

3: SPECIFIC Aim III: To determine if common genetic variations in the genes involving narcotic action contribute to the severity of NAS. A DNA sample will be obtained from all infants and analyzed for differences in 3 key genes. This will then be correlated with short-term and long-term outcomes.

1: SPECIFIC Aim I: To compare the short term efficacy of morphine and methadone for the treatment of NAS. One hundred eighty four term infants with a diagnosis of NAS requiring pharmacotherapy will be studied. Infants born to mothers receiving adequate prenatal care and maintained on opioid agonist medication during pregnancy will be eligible. Infants will be randomized to receive either neonatal morphine solution or methadone in a double blind, double dummy design. It is hypothesized that morphine treated infants will require significantly fewer days in the hospital compared to methadone treated infants. While the primary outcome is the total length of initial hospital stay (LOS), total LOS related to NAS, total duration of medical treatment for NAS, the need for a second drug to control symptoms, and infant growth will also be evaluated as important secondary outcomes by medication group assignment.

2. SPECIFIC Aim II: To evaluate the effects of NAS treatment on long-term neurodevelopmental outcome. Infants in both treatment groups will be evaluated at 18 months of age using the Bayley III Scales of Infant Development. It is hypothesized that morphine treated infants will have better neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months compared to methadone treated infants. It is also hypothesized that neurobehavioral abnormalities (from either treatment group) identified at two weeks of age using the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) will correlate with neurodevelopmental impairment detected with the Bayley III. Early identification of infants at highest risk for impaired development will facilitate therapeutic interventions to improve outcome and decrease resource utilization.

3: SPECIFIC Aim III: To determine if single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes controlling opioid pharmacodynamics contribute to the severity of NAS. SNP genotyping from cord blood or buccal swabs will be obtained from all infants and correlated with short term outcomes (Aim 1) and neurodevelopment assessments (Aim 2) to confirm that genetic variation plays a major role in the severity and outcome of infants with NAS.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion criteria:

1. Mother receiving methadone or buprenorphine (BPH) from a licensed physician or drug treatment program, or an opioid prescribed by a licensed health care worker for treatment of chronic pain.
2. Need for treatment of NAS by Finnegan Scoring criteria
3. Gestational age \>37 weeks at birth defined by best obstetrical estimate
4. Medically stable in the opinion of the Attending Physician
5. Mother receiving "adequate" or "intermediate" prenatal care from a qualified physician or midwife as defined by the Prenatal Care Adequacy Index
6. Singleton pregnancy
7. Mother able to provide informed consent
8. Infant able to take oral medications

Exclusion criteria:

1. Gestation \<37 weeks at entry defined by best obstetrical estimate
2. Major congenital abnormalities including genetic syndromes
3. Serious medical illness such as sepsis, asphyxia, seizures, or respiratory failure
4. Mother abusing alcohol during pregnancy (average of 3 or more drinks per week in the last 30 days)
5. Multiple gestations
6. Mother received "inadequate" prenatal care as defined by the Prenatal Care Adequacy Index.