Objectives: To compare the modified Finnegan Scoring System (modified Finnegan) with an Adjusted Scoring System Criteria (adjusted Finnegan) for infants after cardiothoracic surgery with iatrogenic opioid abstinence syndrome (IOAS).
Methods: This was a retrospective, observational pilot study. This study was conducted in a tertiary care academic hospital. Infants after cardiothoracic surgery with IOAS transferred between the pediatric intensive care unit and neonatal intensive care unit between January 1, 2014, and January 31, 2016, were included retrospectively. The main outcome variable was to compare the area under the curve for the mean modified Finnegan versus adjusted Finnegan.
Results: Twenty-five patients were included in the study. Twenty patients with at least 30 scores were included in the final analysis. Overall, the modified Finnegan scores were at least 2 points higher than the adjusted Finnegan. The difference in area under the curve was 34.6 (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Use of the modified Finnegan tool for older infants with IOAS could overestimate withdrawal, leading to unnecessary interventions.
Keywords: Finnegan scoring; infant; neonate; opioid; sedation; withdrawal.