Wolfgang Raith1, Georg M Schmölzer2, Bernhard Resch3, Fritz Reiterer3, Alexander Avian4, Martin Koestenberger5, Berndt Urlesberger6. 1. Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Research Group for Paediatric Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM Research Center Graz (Acupuncture Research), wolfgang.raith@klinikum-graz.at. 2. Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada; Neonatal Research Unit, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; and Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 3. Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 4. Institutes for Medical Informatics, Statistics, and Documentation, and. 5. Division of Paediatric Cardiology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria; 6. Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Research Group for Paediatric Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM Research Center Graz (Acupuncture Research).
Abstract
BACKGROUND:Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is usually treated with opiate derivatives and supported with nonpharmacological treatment. METHODS: This prospective, randomized, controlled, blinded, single-center study was carried out between March 2009 and November 2014. Newborn infants diagnosed with NAS after maternal opioid substitution therapy were eligible for inclusion. Infants were randomly allocated to the acupuncture group (combining laser acupuncture and pharmacological therapy of morphine and phenobarbital) or control group (pharmacological therapy alone). Laser acupuncture was performed with a LABpen MED 10 (675 nm/10 mW) at 5 ear and 4 body acupuncture points, bilaterally, and sessions were repeated every day. The primary outcome measure was duration of oral morphine therapy for NAS. Secondary outcomes included highest single Finnegan score, time to highest single Finnegan score, maximum amount of oral morphine solution (in milliliters per kilogram and milligrams per kilogram), time to maximum amount of oral morphine solution, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS:Twenty-eight newborns (14 in each group) were eligible for analysis. Duration of oral morphine therapy was significantly reduced in the acupuncture group compared with the control group (28 vs 39 days, respectively, P = .019). In addition, we observed a significantly reduced length of hospital stay in the acupuncture group compared with the control group (35 days [interquartile range 25 to 47] vs 50 days [36 to 66], P = .048). CONCLUSIONS:Adjunctive laser acupuncture significantly reduced the duration of morphine therapy in newborns with NAS.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND:Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is usually treated with opiate derivatives and supported with nonpharmacological treatment. METHODS: This prospective, randomized, controlled, blinded, single-center study was carried out between March 2009 and November 2014. Newborn infants diagnosed with NAS after maternal opioid substitution therapy were eligible for inclusion. Infants were randomly allocated to the acupuncture group (combining laser acupuncture and pharmacological therapy of morphine and phenobarbital) or control group (pharmacological therapy alone). Laser acupuncture was performed with a LABpen MED 10 (675 nm/10 mW) at 5 ear and 4 body acupuncture points, bilaterally, and sessions were repeated every day. The primary outcome measure was duration of oral morphine therapy for NAS. Secondary outcomes included highest single Finnegan score, time to highest single Finnegan score, maximum amount of oral morphine solution (in milliliters per kilogram and milligrams per kilogram), time to maximum amount of oral morphine solution, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: Twenty-eight newborns (14 in each group) were eligible for analysis. Duration of oral morphine therapy was significantly reduced in the acupuncture group compared with the control group (28 vs 39 days, respectively, P = .019). In addition, we observed a significantly reduced length of hospital stay in the acupuncture group compared with the control group (35 days [interquartile range 25 to 47] vs 50 days [36 to 66], P = .048). CONCLUSIONS: Adjunctive laser acupuncture significantly reduced the duration of morphine therapy in newborns with NAS.
Authors: Anita J Mitchell; Richard W Hall; Brenda Golianu; Charlotte Yates; David Keith Williams; Jason Chang; Kanwaljeet J S Anand Journal: Acta Paediatr Date: 2016-09-27 Impact factor: 2.299
Authors: Éric H F F Frederico; Ailton A Santos; Danubia C C Sá-Caputo; Rosane F Neves; Carlos A S Guimarães; Shyang Chang; Mario Bernardo-Filho Journal: J Biosci Date: 2016-03 Impact factor: 1.826