Diagnosis Of Patent Ductus Arteriosus Research Articles

Variation of Patent Ductus Arteriosus Treatment in Very Low Birth Weight Infants.

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) treatment is common among very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Given limitations in evidence, controversy exists regarding treatment risks and benefits. In this study, we describe PDA treatment trends and variation in a large, US, multicenter VLBW infant cohort. Data were collected through Vermont Oxford Network on 291 292 VLBW infants born 2012-2019 at 806 US NICUs. PDA diagnosis and treatment rates, further categorized as pharmacologic, invasive, or combined, were determined. NICUs were classified as capable versus noncapable of invasive PDA treatment. Infant and hospital characteristics were examined by NICU type and treatment quartile. Geographic NICU distribution and treatment rates were described in 9 US census divisions. Of all infants, 24.6% were diagnosed with and 20.5% were treated for PDA. Diagnosis and treatment rates decreased over the study period. Treatment was predominantly pharmacologic. Treatment rates varied widely among NICUs (0% to 67%) despite similar infant characteristics. The median treatment rate was higher at NICUs capable of pharmacologic and invasive treatment (20.3%, interquartile range 13.3-28.6) than at NICUs capable of only pharmacologic treatment (8.9%, interquartile range 2.9-14.8). Treatment rates were highest in the northeast and lowest in the west. Invasive treatment was more common in the west. PDA diagnosis and treatment rates are trending downward. Wide variation exists in PDA treatment despite a largely uniform VLBW infant population. This variation correlates with differences in hospital treatment capabilities and geography. Further understanding of the effects of treatment disparity could aid in guiding clinical management.

Change and clinical significance of serum cortisol, BNP, and PGE-2 levels in premature infants with patent ductus arteriosus.

BackgroundTo analyze the change and clinical significance of cortisol, B-type brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and prostacyclin-2 (PGE-2) levels in premature infants with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).MethodsA total of 67 cases of premature infants admitted to our hospital from January 2018 to April 2020 were included, all of whom developed PDA (PDA group). According to the presence or absence of symptoms, they were divided into the symptomatic group (28 cases) and the asymptomatic group (39 cases). In addition, 62 premature infants without PDA who were born in our hospital during the same period were selected as the control group. The expression levels of cortisol, BNP, and PGE-2 in infants in different groups and between infants with symptoms and without symptoms were analyzed, along with the risk factors leading to PDA in preterm infants. The value of cortisol, BNP, and PGE-2 in the diagnosis of PDA in premature infants was also analyzed.ResultsCompared with the control group, cortisol in the PDA group was significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the levels of BNP and PGE-2 were significantly increased (P<0.05). The cortisol level in the asymptomatic group was significantly higher than that in the symptomatic group, while the levels of BNP and PGE-2 were opposite, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that birth weight <1,200 g, decreased cortisol, increased BNP, and increased PGE-2 were independent risk factors leading to PDA in preterm infants, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the sensitivity and specificity of cortisol+BNP+PGE-2 in the diagnosis of PDA in premature infants were 75.60% and 73.10%, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) value was 0.759 (95% CI: 0.611–0.859), which was significantly higher than the AUC values of the 3 tests alone (P<0.05).ConclusionsThe expression of cortisol decreased in premature infants with PDA, while the levels of BNP and PGE-2 significantly increased. Dynamic detection of the changes in these levels can provide an important reference for the early diagnosis of PDA and for the assessment of disease progression.

Risk Factors of Extubation Failure in Intubated Preterm Infants at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Oman.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine extubation failure (EF) rate among intubated preterm infants (<37 weeks gestational age [GA]) admitted to a tertiary care neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Oman and identify the risk factors associated with EF.MethodsThis retrospective study included all intubated preterm infants (<37 weeks GA) admitted to the NICU at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) from January 2013 to December 2017. EF was defined as reintubation within seven days of planned extubation. Demographics, ventilation parameters, blood gas values and other possible risk factors of EF were collected. Statistical analysis included comparisons between EF and extubation success (ES) groups and a binary logistic regression analysis.ResultsA total of 190 preterm infants were intubated during the study period with 140 eligible for analysis. A total of 106 infants (75.7%) were successfully extubated while 34 (24.3%) failed extubation. GA <28 weeks (P = 0.029), lower 1-minute Apgar score (P = 0.023) and patent ductus arteriosus diagnosis (P = 0.018) were significantly associated with EF. After the multivariate analysis, only GA <28 weeks predicted EF with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.621 (95% confidence interval: 1.118 – 6.146).ConclusionEF rate in preterm infants admitted at the NICU of SQUH was within international rates. GA <28 weeks was the only predictor of the identified extubation failure. Neonatal practitioners need to seriously consider extreme prematurity in the extubation process and consider implementing strategies to decrease extubation failure in this group of fragile infants.

Value of near-infrared spectroscopy in monitoring intestinal tissue oxygen saturation in preterm infants with hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus: a prospective research.

To study the change in regional oxygen saturation (rSO2) of intestinal tissue in preterm infants with hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) by near-infrared spectroscopy, and the clinical significance of the change in intestinal oxygen level in preterm infants with hsPDA. The preterm infants with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) who had gestational age <32 weeks and/or birth weight <1 500 g were prospectively enrolled, who were admitted to the Department of Neonatology, Shenzhen Longgang Central Hospital from October 2017 to October 2020.According to the diagnostic criteria for hsPDA, the preterm infants with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) were divided into two groups: hsPDA and non-hsPDA. According to closure of the ductus arteriosus after oral administration of ibuprofen, the preterm infants in the hsPDA group were subdivided into two groups: hsPDA closure and hsPDA non-closure. Hemodynamic parameters were measured at diagnosis of PDA and after treatment, and the level of intestinal tissue rSO2 was monitored continuously to analyze its change. A total of 241 preterm infants with PDA were enrolled, with 55 infants (22.8%) in the hsPDA group and 186 infants (77.2%) in the non-hsPDA group. There were 36 infants (65%) in the hsPDA closure group and 19 infants (35%) in the hsPDA non-closure group. Compared with the non-hsPDA group, the hsPDA group had a significantly higher left atrial diameter/aortic root diameter ratio and significantly lower left ventricular ejection fraction and fractional shortening (P<0.05). At each time point within 6 hours after diagnosis (1, 2, 4, and 6 hours), the hsPDA group had significantly lower intestinal tissue rSO2 than the non-hsPDA group (P<0.05), and intestinal tissue rSO2 gradually decreased over time in the hsPDA group (P<0.05), with the lowest level of 0.448±0.014 at 6 hours. Compared with the hsPDA non-closure group, the hsPDA closure group had a significantly lower left atrial diameter/aortic root diameter ratio and significantly higher left ventricular ejection fraction and fractional shortening (P<0.05). At each time point within 48-96 hours after treatment (48, 72, and 96 hours), the hsPDA closure group had significantly higher intestinal tissue rSO2 than the hsPDA non-closure group (P<0.05), and intestinal tissue rSO2 gradually increased since 24 hours after treatment in the hsPDA closure group (P<0.05), with the highest level of 0.578±0.031 at 96 hours. hsPDA has an impact on intestinal tissue oxygenation in preterm infants, and continuous monitoring of intestinal tissue rSO2 by near-infrared spectroscopy can help to guide the clinical management of hsPDA in preterm infants.

Dxpr: an R package for generating analysis-ready data from electronic health records-diagnoses and procedures.

BackgroundEnriched electronic health records (EHRs) contain crucial information related to disease progression, and this information can help with decision-making in the health care field. Data analytics in health care is deemed as one of the essential processes that help accelerate the progress of clinical research. However, processing and analyzing EHR data are common bottlenecks in health care data analytics.MethodsThe dxpr R package provides mechanisms for integration, wrangling, and visualization of clinical data, including diagnosis and procedure records. First, the dxpr package helps users transform International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes to a uniform format. After code format transformation, the dxpr package supports four strategies for grouping clinical diagnostic data. For clinical procedure data, two grouping methods can be chosen. After EHRs are integrated, users can employ a set of flexible built-in querying functions for dividing data into case and control groups by using specified criteria and splitting the data into before and after an event based on the record date. Subsequently, the structure of integrated long data can be converted into wide, analysis-ready data that are suitable for statistical analysis and visualization.ResultsWe conducted comorbidity data processes based on a cohort of newborns from Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-III (n = 7,833) by using the dxpr package. We first defined patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) cases as patients who had at least one PDA diagnosis (ICD, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] 7470*). Controls were defined as patients who never had PDA diagnosis. In total, 381 and 7,452 patients with and without PDA, respectively, were included in our study population. Then, we grouped the diagnoses into defined comorbidities. Finally, we observed a statistically significant difference in 8 of the 16 comorbidities among patients with and without PDA, including fluid and electrolyte disorders, valvular disease, and others.ConclusionsThis dxpr package helps clinical data analysts address the common bottleneck caused by clinical data characteristics such as heterogeneity and sparseness.

Patent ductus arteriosus treatment trends and associated morbidities in neonates

To evaluate national epidemiologic data on infants treated for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in Korea and analyze outcomes associated with different PDA treatments. We retrospectively evaluated data on 12,336 patients diagnosed with PDA (International Classification of Diseases-10 code: Q250) between 2015 and 2018 from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment database. Among them, 1623 patients underwent surgical ligation (code: O1671). We used birth certificate data from Statistics Korea to estimate the prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of PDA. The prevalence of infants with PDA was 81 infants per 10,000 live births and 45.2% in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, which increased from 2015 to 2018. PDA ligation was performed in 2571 infants and 22% VLBW infants. Medical treatment was administered to 4202 infants, which decreased significantly, especially in VLBW infants (62% to 53%). The proportion of treatment was as follows: conservative treatment (53.1%), intravenous ibuprofen (24.4%), surgery (20.4%), and oral ibuprofen (10.7%); that among 4854 VLBW infants was as follows: intravenous ibuprofen (46.3%), conservative treatment (33.2%), surgery (22.2%), and oral ibuprofen (14.2%). Surgical treatment had a significantly higher risk (odds ratio 1.36) of mortality than conservative treatment. Surgical and/or medical treatments were associated with a higher risk of morbidity. Recently, increased use of conservative management of PDA has contributed to improved neonatal outcomes in VLBW infants. Select patients may still benefit from surgical ligation following careful consideration.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES OF PATENT DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS IN PRETERM INFANTSREVIEW ARTICLE

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a frequent congenital heart defect. It becomes even more common in preterm infants with a high burden of consequences and adverse effects. Recently, the emergence of a constellation of different management protocols urged for a comprehensive summery of the best evidence-based interventions. A detailed electronic search for evidence was carried out, including Cochrane, systemic and narrative reviews. Variable controversial aspects of PDA diagnosis and management were discussed. Brief echocardiographic and laboratory PDA diagnosis followed by a review of symptomatic and asymptomatic PDA Surgical and nonsurgical management strategies included. Early interventionfor asymptomatic PDA depending on echo scoring, and grading all symptomatic PDAs clinically and echographically can guide management and decrease the need for surgical ligation.

Changes in Patent Ductus Arteriosus Treatment Strategy and Respiratory Outcomes in Premature Infants

To evaluate whether change in patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) management strategies over time had an impact on respiratory outcomes in premature infants. Prospectively collected data were included from all preterm infants born at 23-30weeks gestational age with PDA admitted to the Children's Hospital of the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2007 (epoch 1) and January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2015 (epoch 2). The 2epochs were compared for approach with PDA diagnosis and subsequent management strategies and respiratory outcomes. Significantly fewer infants were treated for PDA in epoch 2 (54%) compared with epoch 1 (90%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that infants in epoch 2, with later PDA diagnosis and less frequent PDA treatment, had greater odds of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), composite of BPD or death, and more treatment with postnatal steroids than in epoch1. The change in approach to diagnosis and management of PDA, from a more proactive and aggressive approach during the earlier epoch 1 to a more expectant approach during the subsequent epoch 2, was associated with worse respiratory outcomes, including increase in BPD and in BPD or death.

Relationship of patent ductus arteriosus management with neonatal AKI.

Objective:Investigate relationship between management of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and acute kidney injury (AKI) in very low birthweight neonates.Study Design:Retrospective cohort study of neonates, <1500g, admitted to 24 NICUs, 1/1/14 – 3/31/14. AKI diagnosed using the neonatal modified KDIGO definition; diagnosis and treatment of PDA extracted from the medical record. Demographics, clinical characteristics, and AKI stage compared using chi-square and analysis of variance. A general estimating equation logistic regression used to estimate adjusted odds ratios.Results:Of 526 neonates with sufficient data to diagnose AKI, 157 (30%) had PDA (61 conservative management, 62 pharmacologic treatment only, 34 surgical ligation). In analyses adjusted for sex, birthweight, gestational age, caffeine, nephrotoxin exposure, vasopressor and mechanical ventilation use, with conservative management as reference, there were no differences among treatment cohorts in the odds of AKI.Conclusion:The underlying physiology of PDA, not management strategy, may determine the likelihood of AKI in neonates <1500 grams.

Exploring the NT-proBNP expression in Premature Infants with Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) by Echocardiography.

Objectives:To investigate the correlation between echocardiographic indicators and the expression level of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in premature infants (PIs) with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and the value of NT-proBNP in diagnosing symptomatic PDA (sPDA) in PIs whose gestational age (GA) was less than 32 weeks.Methods:Ninty premature infants were selected as the research objects, including 52 in the non-PDA group and 38 in the PDA group (26 sPDA cases and 12 cases with asymptomatic PDA (asPDA)) from February 2019 to March 2020. The general information of these infants was recorded, including gender, delivery method, maternal infection, and serum NT-proBNP level on the 3rd day after birth. They were screened by echocardiographic indicators under an artificial intelligence convolutional neural network (AI-CNN). The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were illustrated to decide serum NT-proBNP expression levels, thereby determining specificity and sensitivity of sPDA and the correlation between serum sPDA NT-proBNP expression and echocardiographic indicators.Results:The expression level of serum NT-proBNP in the sPDA group was greater than that in the asPDA group and the non-PDA group (P<0.001). The serum NT-proBNP expression level was positively correlated with the diameter of the ductus arteriosus in the sPDA group (r=0.462, P<0.001); it was also positively correlated with the ratio of left atrium/aorta (LA/AO) (r=0.573, P<0.001), but was not correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (r=-0.015, P=0.747).Conclusion:The combination of serum NT-proBNP expression and echocardiography had clinical values in early diagnosis of PDA.

A case report on the successful interventional treatment of a rare cause of left heart failure in a 69-year-old woman.

Background Dyspnoea is very common in elderly patients and can be caused by a variety of different diseases. However, the initial diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) as a cause of left heart failure is very rare in this patient population.Case summary A 69-year-old physically active woman with known hypertension presented with worsening exertional dyspnoea. Echocardiography showed a dilated left ventricle with moderately reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, and evidence for PDA. The PDA was confirmed by computed tomography angiography and successfully closed by implantation of an Amplatzer PDA occluder II 06-06 mm. As a result, the heart failure symptoms receded completely.Discussion Congenital heart diseases should be considered as heart failure causes even in older adults. In addition to the standard medical therapy, there may be effective interventional treatment options to reverse the symptoms of heart failure in such patients.

Association of chorioamnionitis and patent ductus arteriosus in a national U.S. cohort.

To estimate the effect of clinical chorioamnionitis on the risk of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). A secondary analysis of all deliveries >23 gestational weeks from the U.S. Consortium on Safe Labor (CSL) study. The primary exposure was a clinical diagnosis of chorioamnionitis, and the outcome was a diagnosis of PDA. Generalized estimating equations with estimated error variance for women with multiple deliveries were utilized. Models adjusted for age, race, region, delivery year, body mass index, infant sex, multiple gestation, mode of delivery, and antenatal corticosteroid exposure. Among 228,438 deliveries, a diagnosis of PDA was more frequent with chorioamnionitis exposure versus without (9.2% vs. 3.0%; OR: 3.25; 95% CI: 2.92-3.62). Chorioamnionitis was associated with higher adjusted odds of PDA (AOR: 2.18; 95% CI: 1.93-2.45). In sensitivity analyses, the association between chorioamnionitis and PDA held after adjustment for gestational age at delivery (AOR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.13-1.44). Chorioamnionitis was associated with increased odds of PDA. Robust exposure and outcome ascertainment with careful assessment of confounding is needed to further investigate this epidemiologic association.

Patent Ductus Arteriosus: Update Review

The Ductus Arteriosus (DA) is a vascular structure of the fetal heart that communicates the isthmus of the aorta (at the junction of the aortic root with the descending aorta) to the roof of the bifurcation of the pulmonary trunk. It is an essential structure of the fetal heart that connects the pulmonary circulation to de systemic circulation bypassing the lungs. The DA is usually patent at birth. It undergoes through muscle contraction between 10 and 15 hours of life and closes due to fibrous proliferation of the intimal layer by the third week of life. The change in the natural history of DA, with consequent permeability beyond the predicted period, promotes the Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) a congenital acyanotic heart disease. The most important risk factor for PDA is prematurity. Other risk factors are the congenital rubella, chromosomal abnormalities, genetic factors, low birth weight, perinatal asphyxia and birth in high altitude places. The clinical manifestations of a PDA are determined by the degree of left-to-right shunting, which is dependent upon age, the size and length of the PDA and the difference between pulmonary and systemic vascular resistances. The diagnosis of PDA is usually based on its characteristic clinical findings and confirmation by echocardiography. The proper management of PDA depend on age, hemodynamic impact and resource available and may include conservative management, pharmacologic treatment, surgical approach and percutaneous closure. The complication rates for percutaneous and surgical closure are rare.

Premature infants with patent ductus arteriosus: Postnatal growth according to type of management

Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) is a common condition, affecting nearly half of infants born before 28 weeks' of gestation, and it has been associated with poor growth. It is not known if different treatment modalities are associated with more profound growth impairment. Our aim was to compare differences in weight gain at 36 weeks' corrected gestational age (CGA) in premature infants that received medical, surgical or conservative management for PDA. We retrospectively reviewed notes of 208 infants born under 30 weeks' gestation with a diagnosis of PDA. Gestational age (GA) at birth, birth weight z-score, CGA and weight z-score at 36 weeks' CGA were collected. In our cohort, surgical closure was performed in infants who remained symptomatic after medical or conservative management. Ninety-four infants had medical, 56 surgical and 58 conservative management. Surgically managed infants had a lower median (IQR) GA [24.4 (24.0-26.1) weeks'] than medically [25.4 (24.6-26.5) weeks'] or conservatively managed [26.4 (25.4-28.1) weeks', p<0.001] infants. There was no difference in birth weight z-scores across the groups. Surgically managed infants demonstrated a greater decrease in weight z-score [-2.24 (-2.89 to -1.53)] compared to medically [-1.79 (-2.45 to -1.35)] and conservatively [-1.57 (-1.99 to -1.28), p<0.001] managed infants between birth and 36 weeks' CGA. After adjusting for GA at birth, definitive treatment modality was significantly related to change in weight z-score from birth to 36 weeks' CGA (adjusted p=0.022). Premature infants with PDA who were managed surgically had a greater degree of faltering growth compared to those who were treated medically or conservatively.

Intraventricular Hemorrhage and Patent Ductus Arteriosus Ligation Association with Infant Mortality

BackgroundPractice patterns for the management of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in premature infants are changing with advances in medical management. We sought to determine the increased mortality for premature infants who had a PDA ligation with a co-existing diagnosis of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). MethodsPremature neonates (<1 y old with known gestational week ≤36 wk) with a diagnosis of IVH were identified within the Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID) for the years 2006, 2009, and 2012. Diagnoses and procedures were analyzed by ICD-9 codes and stratified by a diagnosis of PDA and procedure of ligation. Case weighting was used to make national estimations. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to adjust for confounders. ResultsWe identified 7567 hospitalizations for premature neonates undergoing PDA ligation. The population was predominately male (51.6%), non-Hispanic white (41.1%), were from the lowest income quartile (33.1%), had a gestational week of 25-26 wk (34.0%), and a birthweight between 500 and 749 g (37.3%). There was an increased mortality (10.7% versus 6.3%, P < 0.01) and an increased length of stay (88.2 d versus 74.4 d, P < 0.01) in those with any diagnosis of IVH compared with those without. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression demonstrated that high-grade IVH (III or IV) was associated with a significantly increased risk of mortality in those undergoing PDA ligation (aOR 2.59, P < 0.01). Specifically, grade III and IV were associated with an increased odds of in-hospital mortality (aOR 1.99 and 3.16, respectively, P < 0.01). ConclusionsAttitudes regarding the need for surgical intervention for PDA have shifted in recent years. This study highlights that premature neonates with grade III or IV IVH are at significantly increased risk of mortality if undergoing PDA ligation during the same hospitalization. Level of EvidenceIII.

Ductal size indexed to weight and body surface area correlates with morbidities in preterm infants ≤32 weeks

Objectives To assess ductal size correlated to spontaneous closure, pharmacological or surgical treatment; to index ductal diameter to body weight and body surface area; to evaluate the morbidities. Study design Retrospective study on preterms ≤32 weeks, birth weight ≤1500 g, extremely low birth weight (ELBW) and very low birth weight (VLBW). Inclusion criteria: patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) with a diameter ≥1 millimeter (mm) at 72 h from birth; need for ibuprofen treatment on the basis of a hemodynamically significant ductus arteriosus (HsPDA). Results One hundred infants with the diagnosis of PDA have been included. We observed a prevalence of spontaneous closure in 34% of newborns (41.3% VLBW versus 26.7% ELBW). The percentage of response to a single course of ibuprofen was of 62% (68.5% ELBW versus 54.3% VLBW). The mean of absolute ductal diameter was of 2.26 ± 0.62 mm in ELBW and 2.18 ± 0.42 mm in VLBW. The indexing of ductus size to body weight demonstrated a higher value in ELBW than VLBW (2.76 ± 0.97 mm/kg versus 1.84 ± 0.40 mm/kg). Conclusions Our results confirmed that HsPDA can develop in presence of a ductus >1.5 mm as absolute value or >1.4 mm/kg as indexed to body weight. In ELBW infants the ductal size indexed for body weight and body surface area could be more predictive of spontaneous closure or need for pharmacological treatment compared to the absolute value of ductal size. A strong association between HsPDA and short- or long-term morbidities was confirmed particularly in ELBW

P469440-year trends in incidence of simple congenital heart disease: a nationwide study

Abstract Background The methods for diagnosing congenital heart diseases (CHD) have changed radically over the last two decades. Since 2004, foetuses have been screened nationwide for congenital diseases in Denmark. In addition, the use of echocardiography has increased considerably during the last decades, facilitating the diagnosis of asymptomatic CHD. Despite the increased diagnostic possibilities, novel research regarding the incidence of simple CHD is lacking. Purpose To examine temporal trends in the incidence of simple CHD in the Danish population. Methods All Danish residents diagnosed with a ventricular septal defect (VSD), atrial septal defect (ASD) or patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) between 1 January 1977 and 31 December 2016 were identified by linking nationwide registers. Patients with simple CHD were defined as individuals diagnosed with an isolated VSD, ASD or PDA. Excluded was patients who had genetic disorders, other CHDs or developed a clinically significant morbidity such as myocardial infarction and chronic kidney disease before the age of 15 years. Results We included 10,464 patients diagnosed with simple CHD of whom 4,766 (45.5%) were men. During the study period, 4,317 (41.3%) were diagnosed with VSD, 4,148 (39.6%), with ASD and 1,999 (19.1%) with PDA. Crude incidence rates (IR) of ASD (Figure 1, panel A) remained unchanged between 1977–2004, after which ASD rates increased markedly until reaching a plateau between 2013–2016. Between 1997–2016, the median age at diagnosis of ASD increased substantially (Figure 1, panel B) (median age in 1997 = 19 years (IQR 11–45); in 2016 = 40 years (IQR 1–56); in 1977–1996: 18 years (IQR 5–44); in 1997–2016: 31 years (IQR 1–52)). VSD rates did not change between 1977–1991, increased until 1994 (IR in 1991 = 14.46 per 1 mil person years (PY); in 1994 = 26.06 per 1 mil PY) and subsequently slowly decreased until 2016 (IR in 2016 = 13.99 per 1 mil PY). The median age at diagnosis of VSD was consistent throughout the study period and was overall 1 years (IQR 0–17). The rates of PDA were consistent during the study period, and the overall median age at diagnosis of PDA was 1 months (IQR 1–40). Figure 1 Conclusion In this nationwide study of simple CHD, the incidence rates and age at time of diagnosis of VSD and PDA remained stable during the 40-year period. Contrastingly, the incidence rates and age at time of diagnosis of ASD increased markedly from 2004 and onwards. Acknowledgement/Funding The Danish Heart Foundation

Patent ductus arteriosus is associated with acute kidney injury in the preterm infant.

This study aimed to test the hypothesis that a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is independently associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) in neonates ≤ 28weeks gestation. Preterm infants with echocardiographic diagnosis of moderate-large PDA at age ≤ 30days were studied retrospectively. AKI, the primary outcome, was defined and staged according to serum creatinine using Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) neonatal criteria. Its association with the timing and duration of PDA, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other nephrotoxic exposures, gestational age, and other covariates was evaluated using mixed-effects logistic regression models. Acute Kidney Injury occurred in 49% (101/206) of infants. Moderate-to-large PDA was associated with any-stage AKI (OR 5.31, 95% CI 3.75 to 7.53), stage 1 (mild) AKI (OR 4.86, 95% CI 3.12 to 7.56), and stages 2-3 (severe) AKI (OR 10.9, 95% CI 5.70 to 20.8). NSAID treatment added additional risk for mild AKI (OR 2.45, 95% CI 1.61 to 3.71). Severe AKI was less likely when NSAID treatment was effective (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.97) but not when ineffective (OR 1.63, 95% CI 0.76 to 3.50). Moderate-to-large PDA was strongly associated with all stages of AKI in preterm infants ≤ 28weeks of gestational age. Effective NSAID treatment decreased the risk of severe but not mild AKI. These differential effects reflect the balance between the renal benefits of PDA closure and the risk of NSAID toxicity.

Successful Closure of Patent Ductus Arteriosus by Late Pharmacologic Treatment in a Small Preterm Infant

The ductus arteriosus (DA) is a temporary communicative pathway that connects the pulmonary artery to the aorta during fœtal life. Although usually closing on its own in the initial days of postnatal life, the persistent patency of the DA is common in preterm or low birth weight babies, and can lead to life-threatening complications. Early diagnosis and pharmacologic management of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) could prevent further need for invasive surgery or transcatheter intervention. Pharmacologic treatment for PDA closure in preterm infants is achieved by cyclooxygenase inhibitors (COXi) and paracetamol. However, their effectiveness is fully demonstrated when they are used early within the first week of postnatal life. We report here the case of a severe preterm infant of 27 weeks gestation age with extremely low birth weight (995g), who had a PDA with moderate to severe shunting closed after late administration of intravenous ibuprofen. Ibuprofen was started on postnatal day 40, and the PDA got closed after a three-day course of treatment. No complication related to the treatment was reported. The DA remained closed when the infant was seen on review for echocardiography at the age of six months. Wherever cardiac surgery and transcatheter intervention are not available nor affordable, possible effectiveness of COXi even in case of late diagnosis of PDA, offers an unexpected opportunity to cure at a very cheaper cost, one of the commonest congenital heart disease.

Genetic variants associated with patent ductus arteriosus in extremely preterm infants.

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a commonly observed condition in preterm infants. Prior studies have suggested a role for genetics in determining spontaneous ductal closure. Using samples from a large neonatal cohort we tested the hypothesis that common genetic variations are associated with PDA in extremely preterm infants. Preterm infants (n = 1013) enrolled at NICHD Neonatal Research Network sites were phenotyped for PDA. DNA was genotyped for 1634 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from candidate genes. Analyses were adjusted for ancestral eigenvalues and significant epidemiologic variables. SNPs in several genes were associated with the clinical diagnosis of PDA and with surgical ligation in extremely preterm neonates diagnosed with PDA (p < 0.01). None of the associations were significant after correction for multiple comparisons. We identified several common genetic variants associated with PDA. These findings may inform further studies on genetic risk factors for PDA in preterm infants.