Abstract
Objectives Widened pulse pressure is generally associated with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).
Surprisingly, this is often not true for preterm infants during the first week of
life when systolic and diastolic pressures are both reduced and pulse pressure may
remain unchanged.
Study Design This is a retrospective, observational review of individual blood pressure (BP) parameters
preterm neonates <30 weeks' gestational age during the first week of life as correlated
with ductal patency and severity.
Results Sixteen preterm neonates had a closed ductus on initial echocardiogram during the
first week of life; 30 had a PDA that was open but hemodynamically insignificant;
and 16 were found to have a hemodynamically significant PDA. Pulse pressure showed
no correlation (p = 0.266) with the degree of ductal patency, whereas diastolic BP was best correlated
with ductal severity (p < 0.001).
Conclusion We found that low diastolic pressures are better correlated with ductal patency and
severity than is pulse pressure in preterm neonates during the first week of life.
Keywords
blood pressure - pulse pressure - patent ductus arteriosus - preterm neonate
