Naloxegol for Treatment of Opioid-Induced Constipation in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Background: Opioid-induced constipation may cause significant morbidity in critically ill children. While constipation in this population is often multi-factorial, ubiquitous opioid usage in the PICU provides the opportunity for targeted therapy, especially in cases refractory to standard therapies. Naloxegol is an oral FDA-approved peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist for chronic opioid-induced constipation use in adults, but data on its use in children is lacking. Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis of children who received naloxegol from January 2018 - December 2019 was performed. Study included patients that were …