Poor neurodevelopmental outcomes linked to extended use of opioids with benzodiazepines: Study
Long-time usage of opioids and benzodiazepines were linked with a risk of poorer 2 year- neurodevelopmental outcomes as measured by Bayley Scales of Infant Development–3rd Edition (BSID-III), suggests a study published in the JAMA Network Open journal.
Infants who are extremely preterm at birth are often administered opioids and/or benzodiazepines. However, the impact of these drugs on the neurodevelopmental outcomes of the child is poorly understood.
A study was conducted by Dumitrescu M et. al to demonstrate the usage of opioids and benzodiazepines in extremely preterm infants when they are hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and to investigate these drugs' linkages with neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years corrected age.
The researchers conducted a cohort study that was a secondary analysis of data obtained from the Preterm Erythropoietin Neuroprotection (PENUT) Trial, which was conducted among infants born between gestational ages of 24 weeks, 0 days, and 27 weeks, 6 days. For this study, a total of 936 infants, out of which 448 were female infants and 611 were male infants. These selected infants received care at 19 locations in the United States, and out of which 692 had their neurological data available and collected from December 2013 to September 2016. The evaluation of the data for this study was conducted from March 2020 to December 2020.
Disclaimer: This website is primarily for healthcare professionals. The content here does not replace medical advice and should not be used as medical, diagnostic, endorsement, treatment, or prescription advice. Medical science evolves rapidly, and we strive to keep our information current. If you find any discrepancies, please contact us at corrections@medicaldialogues.in. Read our Correction Policy here. Nothing here should be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not endorse any healthcare advice that contradicts a physician's guidance. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Advertisement Policy. For more details, read our Full Disclaimer here.
NOTE: Join us in combating medical misinformation. If you encounter a questionable health, medical, or medical education claim, email us at factcheck@medicaldialogues.in for evaluation.