What do systematic reviews say?

Phenobarbital vs supportive care

It is very uncertain whether phenobarbital changes treatment failure To discharge compared with supportive care (very low certainty).

• Sedatives for opioid withdrawal in newborn infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.73 [0.94, 7.94]
  1 study · 62 participants
  Very low

Phenobarbital vs chlorpromazine

It is very uncertain whether phenobarbital changes treatment failure To discharge compared with chlorpromazine (very low certainty).

• Sedatives for opioid withdrawal in newborn infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.55 [0.33, 0.92]
  2 studies · 138 participants
  Very low

Phenobarbital vs diazepam

Phenobarbital may leads to lower treatment failure To discharge compared with diazepam (low certainty).

• Sedatives for opioid withdrawal in newborn infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.39 [0.24, 0.62]
  2 studies · 139 participants
  Low

Phenobarbital and opioid vs opioid

• Sedatives for opioid withdrawal in newborn infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 20 participants
  Very low

Clonidine and opioid vs phenobarbital and opioid

It is very uncertain whether clonidine and opioid changes treatment failure To discharge compared with phenobarbital and opioid (very low certainty).

• Sedatives for opioid withdrawal in newborn infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.27 [0.98, 5.25]
  2 studies · 93 participants
  Very low

Opioids vs phenobarbital

Opioid probably leads to lower treatment failure To discharge compared with phenobarbital (moderate certainty).

• Opioid treatment for opioid withdrawal in newborn infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.51 [0.35, 0.74]
  6 studies · 458 participants
  Moderate