title: Inhaled nitric oxide in very preterm infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that inhaled nitric oxide therapy can decrease the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and death in preterm infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome; to evaluate the possible predictive factors for the response to inhaled nitric oxide therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preterm infants (less than 30 weeks' gestation) were randomized to receive during the first week of life inhaled nitric oxide, or nothing, if they presented severe respiratory distress syndrome. Then, the treated infants were classified as non responders and responders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty infants were enrolled in the inhaled nitric oxide therapy group and 20 in the control group. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia and death were less frequent in the inhaled nitric oxide group than in the control group (50 vs. 90%, p=0.016). Moreover, nitric oxide treatment was found to decrease as independent factor the combined incidence of death and BPD (OR=0.111; 95% C.I. 0.02-0.610). A birth weight lower than 750 grams had a significant predictive value for the failure of responding to inhaled nitric oxide therapy (OR 12; 95% C.I. 1.3-13.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inhaled nitric oxide decreases the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and death in preterm infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome. Birth weight may influence the effectiveness of inhaled nitric oxide therapy in promoting oxygenation improvement in preterm infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Medical Critical Care, Section of Neonatology, Careggi University Hospital of Florence, Florence, Italy. cdani@unifi.it
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dani
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pezzati
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Filippi
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cecchi
authors.forename: Firmino F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Rubaltelli
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide