title: Prevalence and risk factors associated with the patency of ductus arteriosus in premature neonates: a prospective observational study from Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common problem in the preterm infants. The frequency of PDA varies with the time of study, and the characteristics of the population included in the trial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and prenatal risk factor associated with PDA.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective cross-sectional observational study was carried out on neonates who had gestational age below 37 weeks during the period of February 2014 to September 2014. Echocardiography was done at 4-7 days of postnatal age. The association between prenatal risk factors of the infants and the PDA was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From a total population of 200 enrolled infants 22.5% had PDA. The mean gestational age and birth weight were 32.1 ± 2.65 (weeks) and 1741 ± 622.85 (g), respectively. Maternal antepartum hemorrhage, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), need for surfactant, birth weights, female gender, gestational age, Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min of the infants were found to be associated with the prevalence of PDA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several prenatal factors make preterm newborns susceptible to PDA. These risk factors should be identified as soon as possible for early commencement of PDA management.
authors.affiliation: a Neonatal Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz , Iran.
authors.forename: Shahnaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pourarian
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pediatrics , Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz , Iran.
authors.forename: Nazanin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farahbakhsh
authors.affiliation: c NEOCLINIC , Jaipur , Rajasthan , India.
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: d Department of Pediatric Cardiology , Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz , Iran , and.
authors.forename: Sirous
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheriki
authors.affiliation: e Department of Orthopedics , Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz , Iran.
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bijanzadeh
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Patent ductus arteriosus; preterm neonates; prevalence