title: Effect of persistent patent ductus arteriosus on mortality and morbidity in very low-birthweight infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Because New Caledonia is geographically isolated from the nearest cardiac surgical centre, surgical closure of ductus arteriosus is not performed in very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants who have a persistent patent ductus in spite of having undergone treatment with ibuprofen. This study aimed at investigating the possible effect of persistent patent ductus in VLBW infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 177 VLBW infants born at 25-31 weeks of gestation from January 2006 to May 2011. Mortality and major morbidities were compared between infants with a persistent patent ductus (n = 33) and those without it (n = 104). Statistical associations between potential neonatal risk factors and significant morbidities were identified using multivariate regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rates of mortality and major morbidities, including the rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, intraventricular haemorrhage grades I-II and III-IV, periventricular leucomalacia, late-onset infections and failure of hearing screening, were insignificantly higher in VLBW infants with a persistent patent ductus than in those without it.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study adds further evidence that persistent patent ductus arteriosus has no significant effect on mortality and morbidity in VLBW infants born at ≥25 weeks' gestational age.
authors: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Territorial Hospital Centre, New Caledonia, France. laurenttauzin@hotmail.fr
authors: Laurent
authors: L
authors: Tauzin
authors: Corinne
authors: C
authors: Joubert
authors: Anne-Claire
authors: AC
authors: Noel
authors: Antoine
authors: A
authors: Bouissou
authors: Marie-Eve
authors: ME
authors: Moulies
mesh_terms: D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D009510:New Caledonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies