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Narcotics and Sedative Use in Preterm Neonates.

Liron Borenstein-Levin1, Anne Synnes2, Ruth E Grunau2

  • 1British Columbia's Women's Hospital and Health Center, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

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|September 12, 2016
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Narcotic and sedative use in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) varies significantly across Canada. This practice variation in preterm neonates warrants further research into optimal drug administration protocols.

Keywords:
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Area of Science:

  • Neonatal intensive care
  • Pharmacology
  • Pediatric medicine

Background:

  • Narcotic and sedative agents are frequently used in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
  • Concerns exist regarding potential adverse outcomes associated with these medications in preterm infants.
  • Understanding current usage patterns is crucial for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the patterns of narcotic and sedative use in Canadian NICUs.
  • To identify variations in drug administration among different NICU sites.
  • To provide data for future research on optimal practices.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective observational cohort study of preterm neonates (<33 weeks' gestation) admitted to Canadian Neonatal Network NICUs.
  • Analysis of continuous narcotic infusions and sedative use over a 5-year period.
  • Logistic regression used to assess site variation in 2014, adjusting for clinical factors.

Main Results:

  • 29% of neonates received narcotics, sedatives, or both.
  • Narcotic use was 23% and sedative use was 17%.
  • Significant inter-site variation in narcotic (3%-41%) and sedative (2%-48%) use was observed, despite no major changes over time.

Conclusions:

  • Narcotic and sedative exposure is highly variable in preterm neonates across Canada.
  • This significant variation highlights a need for further investigation into current usage and optimal practices.
  • Research is warranted to address the concerns of adverse outcomes associated with these drugs.