Infants of opioid-dependent mothers: neurodevelopment at six months.

Objective: The aim of this study is to describe infant neurodevelopment in 81 infants of methadone-prescribed opioid-dependent mothers.

Methods: Griffith MD scores at six months.

Results: Scores were lower in all domains compared to controls (p<0.

Visual outcome in infants born to drug-misusing mothers prescribed methadone in pregnancy.

Background: Flash visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were abnormal in a cohort of 100 neonates exposed to maintenance methadone in utero. This prospective cohort study now describes clinical visual and electrophysiological outcomes at 6 months.

Methods: Visual assessment included modified Atkinson test battery; strabismus, nystagmus, reduced visual acuity, delayed visual maturation or refractive error (>3 dioptres) defined a fail.

In utero drug and alcohol exposure in infants born to mothers prescribed maintenance methadone.

Aims: To describe the prevalence of in utero alcohol and illicit drug exposure in infants born to mothers prescribed methadone in pregnancy, and to compare the accuracy of maternal interview with infant toxicology.

Methods: Urine and meconium samples were collected from 56 infants born to mothers prescribed methadone during pregnancy and a confidential interview conducted soon after delivery. Samples were screened for drugs of misuse and meconium samples analysed for the presence of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) to detect prenatal alcohol exposure.

Neonatal visual evoked potentials in infants born to mothers prescribed methadone.

Objective: Drug misuse in pregnancy is associated with impaired infant visual development. Pilot data showed abnormal flash visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in neonates exposed to methadone in utero, but results were confounded by intrauterine growth restriction, gestation, and ongoing drug misuse. This large cohort study aimed to clarify the effects on neonatal flash VEPs of maternal drug misuse in pregnancy, including prescription of substitute methadone and subsequent development of neonatal abstinence syndrome.

Impaired cardiac autonomic nervous control after cardiac bypass surgery for congenital heart disease.

We undertook a study to describe changes in heart rate variability (HRV) postoperatively in children undergoing cardiac bypass surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD). HRV was recorded for a 1-h period preoperatively and a 24-h period postoperatively in 20 children with CHD. We found a highly significant reduction in HRV in both time and frequency domain indices compared to preoperative values, which was sustained throughout the 24-h study period.

Short-term outcomes following intrauterine transfusion in Scotland.

Aim: To describe neonatal outcomes following intrauterine transfusion (IUT) for severe Rhesus isoimmunisation from 1993 to 2004.

Results: 116 neonates who had undergone 457 IUTs (median 4, range 1-9) were identified. Three neonates died, all before 1995 (two because of hypoxic ischaemic multiorgan failure and one because of overwhelming Escherichia coli sepsis).