Could genetic variations explain variability in neonatal opiate withdrawal syndrome?

Over the past decade, increased use and misuse of opioids during pregnancy have resulted in more than a 5-fold increase in neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). In 2014, more than 8 out of every 1000 births were affected by maternal opioid abuse, which has created an urgent need for methods to accurately detect, monitor, and treat symptoms of neonatal opiate withdrawal. Current methods of NOWS assessment are based on behavioral findings of irritability, tachypnea, crying, and hyperphagia, and are inherently subjective.
Source: The Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: The Editors' Perspectives Source Type: research