Prostaglandin E1 in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and life-threatening pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND

Suprasystemic pulmonary hypertension (PH) is highly predictive of pulmonary morbidity and death in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

OBJECTIVES

To report the effects and tolerability of Prostaglandin E (PGE) in newborns with severe CDH and life-threatening PH.

METHODS

Newborn infants with isolated CDH and life-threatening PH defined by an acute worsening of the cardiorespiratory function, and bidirectional or exclusive right-to-left shunting across the ductus arteriosus (DA) with an acceleration of the blood flow >1.5 m.s assessed by Doppler echocardiography. Serial measurements of cardiorespiratory variables have been recorded before and after PGE.

RESULTS

18 infants (out of 102 in the cohort) were included in the study (gestational age: 39 ± 2 weeks). The median FiO, and preductal and postductal SpO were 80% [50; 100], 91% [88; 95] and 86% [82; 91], respectively, before treatment. FiO decreased to 35% [30-40] (p = 0.001) at H6. Maximal blood flow velocities in the DA decreased after starting PGE from 2.2 m.s [1.5-2.5] to 1 m.s [0.55-1.2] (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

PGE treatment improved oxygenation and circulatory function in newborn infants with severe CDH and life-threatening PH. Our data provide evidence that restrictive DA may result in suprasystemic pulmonary hypertension in CDH infants, and that PGE may improve cardiorespiratory failure through reopening of the DA.

TYPE OF STUDY

Treatment study.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.