title: Evaluation of low dose prostaglandin E1 treatment for ductus dependent congenital heart disease.
abstract: This study reports our experience with low-dose prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) treatment of 91 newborns with ductus dependent congenital heart disease (CHD). PGE1 efficacy, side-effects as well as the cardiovascular and respiratory profile of the patients were analysed. PGE1 doses > 0.02 microgram/kg per minute were used for only 5.3% of the total 23,656 h of treatment. The mean systolic blood pressures did not differ from the normal mean for patients with cyanotic CHD, while the diastolic values were lowered. Respiratory support was required only during 13.7% of the total treatment time. Apnoeas occurred in 21 (38%) of the 55 spontaneously breathing infants, who all had a cyanotic CHD. The incidence of apnoeas was lower during treatment with doses < 0.01 microgram/kg per minute.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PGE1 can be successfully administered in lower doses than previously recommended. Especially high initial doses can be avoided and low maintenance doses allow long-term treatment without serious complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Children's Hospital, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rammos
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Krogmann
mesh_terms: D000527:Alprostadil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012119:Respiration; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000527:Alprostadil