title: Late medical therapy of patent ductus arteriosus using intravenous paracetamol.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of late treatment with intravenous paracetamol on patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure prior to possible PDA ligation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of infants with a haemodynamically significant PDA, considered for PDA ligation and treated with intravenous paracetamol prior to possible ligation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty six infants with a median gestation of 26.1 weeks received paracetamol at a median age of 27 days. Paracetamol was associated with immediate closure in nine (25%) infants. There was no response to paracetamol treatment in four (11%) infants who subsequently underwent a PDA ligation. In 23 (64%) infants, the PDA constricted and all but one of this group demonstrated complete PDA closure prior to discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There may be a role for intravenous paracetamol in late closure of infants with a significant PDA to avoid ligation. The use of paracetamol for late treatment of PDA should be systematically evaluated.
authors: Department of Neonatology, The Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Ireland School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
authors: Afif
authors: A
authors: EL-Khuffash
authors: Department of Neonatology, The Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors: Adam T
authors: AT
authors: James
authors: Department of Neonatology, The Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors: Aoife
authors: A
authors: Cleary
authors: Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland Institute for the Care of Mother and Child, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Jana
authors: J
authors: Semberova
authors: The Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors: Orla
authors: O
authors: Franklin
authors: Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland Institute for the Care of Mother and Child, Prague, Czech Republic UCD School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Miletin
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000082:Acetaminophen
keywords: PDA; Paracetamol; late treatment; ligation; preterm infants