Furosemide use in premature infants and appearance of patent ductus arteriosus.

Furosemide is a known stimulant of the renal release of prostaglandin E2, a potent dilator of the ductus arteriosus. A possible relationship between furosemide use in infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and the incidence of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) was investigated using two different retrospective analyses. The amount of furosemide administered prior to the day a murmur was heard in the infants with PDA was higher than the amount given to patients without PDA during the same period. In a historical analysis of patients treated for RDS in the years 1970 through 1979, furosemide use and fluid intake appeared to be independent factors contributing to the incidence of PDA. The proposed relationship between furosemide use and the occurrence of PDA in patients with RDS warrants further study.