The Possibility of Early Discharge for Newborns Being Monitored for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Based on Modified Finnegan Score Distributions

We tested the hypothesis that Modified Finnegan Neonatal Scoring System (MFNSS) scores can guide early discharge at 72 hours for newborns at risk for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). A retrospective cohort study with a primary outcome of early discharge of newborns at risk for NAS using mean MFNSS scores recorded before pharmacologic treatment was performed. Quantile regression was used to develop percentile curves of mean MFNSS scores. A total of 202 term newborns at risk for NAS with 5066 mean MFNSS scores recorded before pharmacologic treatment were studied. Sixty-eight of 121 (56%) newborns not treated at 72 hours had mean MFNSS scores <50th percentile and only 1 was ultimately treated (1.5%, 95% confidence interval: 0% to 8%). No newborns with mean MFNSS scores <25th percentile at 72 hours were treated. Newborns at risk for NAS with mean MFNSS scores <50th percentile can be safely discharged by 72 hours if families can assure close outpatient follow-up.