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Am J Perinatol 2016; 33(09): 903-909
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1581079
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Temporal Profile of Early Pulmonary Hypertension in Preterm Infants

Hussnain Mirza
1   Center for Neonatal Care, Florida Hospital for Children, UCF College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida
,
James Ziegler
2   Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Hasbro Children's Hospital, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
,
Sara Ford
2   Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Hasbro Children's Hospital, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
,
James Padbury
3   Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
,
Richard Tucker
3   Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
,
Abbot Laptook
3   Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

30 July 2015

12 February 2016

Publication Date:
08 April 2016 (online)

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Abstract

Objective The objective of this study was to study the temporal profile of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in preterm infants.

Study Design Infants < 28 weeks were screened for early PH at 10 to 14 days of life. Infants with early PH (n = 10) and gestationally matched controls (n = 18) underwent serial echocardiography every 7 to 10 days until 36 weeks postmenstrual age.

Results Groups with and without early PH were comparable except for higher Fio 2 by day 10 among infants with early PH. Early PH was moderate in extent and resolved in all infants with recurrence in one infant. Among infants without early PH, five infants developed late PH. In both groups, development of late PH occurred in association with important neonatal morbidities, such as patent ductus arteriosus, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and infection.

Conclusion Early moderate PH among preterm infants resolves over a variable time period but recurrence is possible. Late PH can appear during the course of hospitalization in association with other clinical morbidities.

Keywords

pulmonary hypertension - neonatal transition - BPD - preterm infants
 

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