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Am J Perinatol 2025; 42(08): 1017-1023
DOI: 10.1055/a-2451-9925
Original Article

Trends in Gabapentin Use in Neonatal Intensive Care Units from 2005 to 2020

Annette G. Roberts
1   Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
,
Ryan Kilpatrick 
2   Division of Newborn Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
,
Lindsey D. Diaz   *
1   Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
,
Scott Benjamin   *
1   Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
,
Athziry J Espinoza Santiago   *
1   Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
,
Bubacarr Jallow   *
1   Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
,
Madison F. Monteith   *
1   Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
,
Sarah Rumsey   *
1   Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
,
Reese H. Clark
1   Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
,
Kanecia Zimmerman
1   Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
,
Daniel K. Benjamin Jr.
1   Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
,
Rachel G. Greenberg 
1   Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
› Author Affiliations Funding This work was funded by the Biogen Foundation and Duke Clinical Research Institute's R25 Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) Program (grant #5R25HD076475-10). This work was also funded under the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) contract (HHSN275201000003I) for the Pediatric Trials Network (PI: D.K.B.).
The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to analyze trends in gabapentin use in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and examine demographic characteristics, diagnoses, and concomitant medications associated with its use.

Study Design

Cohort study of 987,181 infants hospitalized in the NICU from 2005 to 2020.

Results

Eighty-five infants (<0.01%) received gabapentin. From 2009 to 2020, there was a 1,055% relative increase in gabapentin use (p < 0.01). The median birth weight was 2,160 g (25th, 75th percentiles: 875, 3,080 g) in gabapentin-exposed infants compared with 2,498 g (1,890, 3,210 g) in unexposed infants (p < 0.001). Over half (55%) of infants receiving gabapentin were born prematurely, 54% (n = 45) had chronic lung disease, 46% (n = 39) had gastrostomy tubes, and 34% (n = 29) had drug withdrawal syndrome; 49% (n = 42) and 27% (n = 23) received opioids and benzodiazepines, respectively.

Conclusion

Use of gabapentin was rare but increased over time despite limited research on its safety and efficacy in infants, illuminating the need for further studies.

Key Points

  • Gabapentin safety in infants is not well understood.

  • Gabapentin use increased despite limited safety research.

  • Further studies on gabapentin use in infants are needed.

Keywords

cohort study - retrospective study - gabapentin - neonatal intensive care units - premature infants - gabapentin trends

Ethical Approval and Consent to Participate

The study was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. This study was approved by the Duke University Institutional Review Board.


Authors' Contributions

A.G.R. contributed to the conception and design of the study, data analysis and data interpretation, manuscript drafting, and critical revision of the manuscript.


R.K. had full access to all of the data in the study and agreed to take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. The author contributed to data analysis and interpretation, manuscript drafting, and critical revision of the manuscript.


L.D.D., S.B., A.J.E.S., B.J., M.F.M., S.R., R.H.C., K.Z., and D.K.B., Jr., contributed to data analysis and interpretation, manuscript drafting, and critical revision of the manuscript.


R.G.G. contributed to the conception and design of the study, supervision, data interpretation, and critical revision of the manuscript.


* High school student, college student, or school teacher affiliated with the Duke Clinical Research Institute's R25 Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) Program.




Publication History

Received: 08 August 2024

Accepted: 25 October 2024

Article published online:
25 November 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA

 

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