Clinical trial NCT02851303: Morphine Versus Methadone for Opiate Exposed Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Official title: Morphine Versus Methadone for Opiate Exposed Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE4
Conditions: Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Lead sponsor: University of New Mexico
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2016-08-01
Enrollment: 61
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 0
Maximum age (years): 12
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This study investigates the use of methadone versus morphine wean for the treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome for infants exposed to opioids in utero. Half of infants who require pharmacotherapy for NAS will receive a methadone wean, and half will receive a morphine wean. Length of hospital stay, length of treatment and parent satisfaction will be studied.

Detailed description: Neonates exposed to opiates in utero can develop a constellation of withdrawal symptoms known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Infants with NAS are at risk for multiple medical complications including failure to thrive and seizures, they often require prolonged hospital stays and account for significant health care costs. At University of New Mexico, infants exposed to methadone or heroin in utero who develop NAS requiring pharmacologic treatment undergo a treatment wean with methadone, whereas infants exposed to buprenorphine undergo a wean with morphine. However, morphine is used frequently to treat neonatal abstinence syndrome among methadone-exposed infants throughout the US, and optimal pharmacologic treatment for NAS remains unknown. Anecdotal evidence at the investigators institution suggests that infants treated with morphine have shorter hospital stays compared to infants treated with methadone. Investigators propose a pilot randomized controlled trial to evaluate morphine vs methadone treatment of infants with in-utero methadone or heroin exposure. Specifically, length of treatment, need for additional medication to treat withdrawal, and length of hospital stay will be compared.

When women are admitted to Labor and Delivery and/or up to 12 hours postpartum, research staff will approach patients about study enrollment. Participants will be approached for study enrollment if medication list on admission includes methadone, if participants self-report methadone use prenatally, and/ or if urine drug screen is positive for methadone or opiates on admission. If women choose to enroll in the study, and their infants require treatment for NAS, their infants will be randomized and assigned a study number for treatment using the methadone or morphine protocols at the time treatment is required.

All infants will be monitored for signs of withdrawal using the standard UNM NAS scoring protocol. Standard of care at UNM is to treat infants exposed to opioids in-utero with methadone if they require pharmacologic therapy for NAS, therefore treatment will not be withheld if they choose not to enroll in the study. Standard of care is also to obtain a urine drug screen on all infants with reported exposure to opiates in pregnancy. Enrolled patients will thus undergo routine urine drug screening. The only difference from standard care with regards to the study protocol is the treatment of half of the methadone or heroin exposed infants with morphine. The morphine protocol is proven for safety and efficacy currently in buprenorphine exposed infants. Once randomized, infants will continue on the protocol until discharge. At discharge, parents will complete a patient satisfaction survey.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion criteria:

* Born at University of New Mexico Hospital
* Greater than 34 weeks gestation
* Primary in-utero drug exposure was opioids other than buprenorphine
* Maternal or infant urine drug screen positive for methadone and/or opioids on admission

Exclusion criteria:

* Born prior to 34 weeks
* Neonatal intensive care unit admission
* Serious medical comorbidities
* Primary substance exposure in-utero was buprenorphine, or was not opioids

Primary outcomes:
measure: Length of Hospital Stay
timeFrame: assessed at hospital discharge, approximately 7-30 days
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Length of Treatment
timeFrame: assessed at hospital discharge, approximately 7-30 days
measure: Need for Additional Agent to Treat Withdrawal, Determined by Chart Review of Medication Administration Record of Administered Medications for Withdrawal Treatment (Example: Clonidine or Phenobarbital)
timeFrame: assessed at hospital discharge, approximately 7-30 days
measure: Need for Feeding Assistance, Determined by Chart Review of Discharge Summary, Specifically Evaluating for Need for Nasogastric Tube Placement or Peripheral Parenteral Nutrition.
timeFrame: assessed at hospital discharge, approximately 7-30 days
measure: Need for NICU Transfer, as Determined by Chart Review of Discharge Summary.
timeFrame: assessed at hospital discharge, approximately 7-30 days
measure: Breastfeeding Initiation and Continuation at Hospital Discharge
timeFrame: assessed at hospital discharge, approximately 7-30 days
measure: Total Morphine Equivalent Dose Received
timeFrame: assessed at hospital discharge, approximately 7-30 days
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Albuquerque
country: United States
facility: University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
state: New Mexico
Study officials:
affiliation: Attending Physician, Assistant Professor
name: Mary Beth Sutter, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
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citation: Hall ES, Wexelblatt SL, Crowley M, Grow JL, Jasin LR, Klebanoff MA, McClead RE, Meinzen-Derr J, Mohan VK, Stein H, Walsh MC; OCHNAS Consortium. Implementation of a Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Weaning Protocol: A Multicenter Cohort Study. Pediatrics. 2015 Oct;136(4):e803-10. doi: 10.1542/peds.2015-1141. Epub 2015 Sep 14.
citation: Jones HE, Kaltenbach K, Heil SH, Stine SM, Coyle MG, Arria AM, O'Grady KE, Selby P, Martin PR, Fischer G. Neonatal abstinence syndrome after methadone or buprenorphine exposure. N Engl J Med. 2010 Dec 9;363(24):2320-31. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1005359.
citation: Sutter MB, Watson H, Yonke N, Weitzen S, Leeman L. Morphine versus methadone for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome: a randomized controlled pilot study. BMC Pediatr. 2022 Jun 15;22(1):345. doi: 10.1186/s12887-022-03401-3.
citation: Zankl A, Martin J, Davey JG, Osborn DA. Opioid treatment for opioid withdrawal in newborn infants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Jul 7;7(7):CD002059. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002059.pub4.