Faouzi I Maalouf1, William O Cooper2, James C Slaughter3, Judith Dudley4, Stephen W Patrick5. 1. Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. 2. Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. 3. Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. 4. Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. 5. Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Division of Neonatology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. Electronic address: stephen.patrick@vanderbilt.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine differences in lengths of stay, length of therapy, emergency department (ED) utilization, and hospital readmissions between infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) treated exclusively with inpatient pharmacotherapy compared with those discharged on outpatient pharmacotherapy. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study of infants enrolled in the Tennessee Medicaid program used administrative and vital records data from 2009 to 2011. Medical record review was used to confirm cases of NAS and classify treatment type. Negative binomial regression was used to compare length of therapy and ordinal regression was used to determine frequency of ED visits and hospital readmissions. RESULTS: Among a cohort of 736 patients with confirmed NAS, 72.3% were treated with pharmacotherapy of which approximately one-half (45.5%) were discharged home on outpatient medications. For infants discharged on outpatient pharmacotherapy, initial hospital length of stay was shorter (11 vs 23 days; P < .001) and length of therapy was longer (60 vs 19 days; adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 2.84, 95%CI 2.31-3.52). After adjusting for potential confounders, infants discharged on outpatient pharmacotherapy had a greater number of ED visits within 6 months of discharge (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.52, 95% CI 1.06-2.17) compared with those treated as inpatients alone. CONCLUSIONS: Outpatient pharmacotherapy for NAS was associated with higher length of therapy and higher rates of ED utilization when compared with infants treated exclusively as inpatients. Future research should focus on improving the efficiency of NAS management while minimizing postdischarge complications.
OBJECTIVE: To determine differences in lengths of stay, length of therapy, emergency department (ED) utilization, and hospital readmissions between infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) treated exclusively with inpatient pharmacotherapy compared with those discharged on outpatient pharmacotherapy. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study of infants enrolled in the Tennessee Medicaid program used administrative and vital records data from 2009 to 2011. Medical record review was used to confirm cases of NAS and classify treatment type. Negative binomial regression was used to compare length of therapy and ordinal regression was used to determine frequency of ED visits and hospital readmissions. RESULTS: Among a cohort of 736 patients with confirmed NAS, 72.3% were treated with pharmacotherapy of which approximately one-half (45.5%) were discharged home on outpatient medications. For infants discharged on outpatient pharmacotherapy, initial hospital length of stay was shorter (11 vs 23 days; P < .001) and length of therapy was longer (60 vs 19 days; adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 2.84, 95%CI 2.31-3.52). After adjusting for potential confounders, infants discharged on outpatient pharmacotherapy had a greater number of ED visits within 6 months of discharge (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.52, 95% CI 1.06-2.17) compared with those treated as inpatients alone. CONCLUSIONS:Outpatient pharmacotherapy for NAS was associated with higher length of therapy and higher rates of ED utilization when compared with infants treated exclusively as inpatients. Future research should focus on improving the efficiency of NAS management while minimizing postdischarge complications.
Authors: Leslie W Young; Songthip Ounpraseuth; Stephanie L Merhar; Alan E Simon; Abhik Das; Rachel G Greenberg; Rosemary D Higgins; Jeannette Lee; Brenda B Poindexter; P Brian Smith; Michele Walsh; Jessica Snowden; Lori A Devlin Journal: Trials Date: 2022-08-09 Impact factor: 2.728
Authors: Susan M Lopata; Elizabeth McNeer; Judith A Dudley; Carolyn Wester; William O Cooper; James G Carlucci; Claudia M Espinosa; William Dupont; Stephen W Patrick Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2020-02-14 Impact factor: 7.124
Authors: Stephanie L Merhar; Songthip Ounpraseuth; Lori A Devlin; Brenda B Poindexter; Leslie W Young; Sean D Berkey; Moira Crowley; Adam J Czynski; Autumn S Kiefer; Bonny L Whalen; Abhik Das; Janell F Fuller; Rosemary D Higgins; Vaishali Thombre; Barry M Lester; P Brian Smith; Sarah Newman; Pablo J Sánchez; M Cody Smith; Alan E Simon Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2021-03 Impact factor: 7.124
Authors: Kathleen M Doherty; Theresa A Scott; Anna Morad; Travis Crook; Elizabeth McNeer; Kim S Lovell; James C Gay; Stephen W Patrick Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2020-12-02 Impact factor: 7.124