Management of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants: clinical judgment might be a fair option.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to find out the percentage of preterm infants that needed treatment for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), when treatment decision was based on clinical signs and symptoms, besides echocardiographic findings.

METHODS

Daily echocardiographic evaluation was conducted in 39 preterms ≤29(6/7) weeks' gestation. Patients with ductus arteriosus were closely followed-up for clinical symptoms of PDA for treatment decision until ductus arteriosus was closed either spontaneously or by treatment.

RESULTS

PDA was found in 25 (64%) infants. Mean gestational age and birth weight (BW) of the patients with PDA were 27.8 ± 1.2 and 998 ± 221 g, respectively. PDA closed spontaneously or had minimal ductal shunting before any signs and symptoms attributable to PDA were observed in 16 (41%) infants. Mean ductus size/BW ratio and mean left atrial/aortic root ratio were significantly higher in 9 (23%) symptomatic patients (2.06 ± 0.75 versus 1.32 ± 0.75 mm, p = 0.012 and 1.31 ± 0.52 versus 1.19 ± 0.2 mm, p = 0.043, respectively). PDA closure was observed after the first dose of ibuprofen in six of nine patients.

CONCLUSION

Correlation of clinical signs with echocardiographic findings for the decision of PDA treatment can be appropriate to prevent unnecessary medical treatments.