Clinical Experience in the Use of Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Infants with Pulmonary Hypertension

Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is a potent local vasodilator. Numerous case reports describe its efficacy in treating persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). This report describes experience at the authors' institution with iNO therapy in 10 consecutive infants with PPHN of a numbe...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Robert P Lemke, Jaques Belik, Niels G Giddins, Carlos A Fajardo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 1996-01-01
Series:Canadian Respiratory Journal
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1996/424895
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849409962839638016
author Robert P Lemke
Jaques Belik
Niels G Giddins
Carlos A Fajardo
author_facet Robert P Lemke
Jaques Belik
Niels G Giddins
Carlos A Fajardo
author_sort Robert P Lemke
collection DOAJ
description Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is a potent local vasodilator. Numerous case reports describe its efficacy in treating persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). This report describes experience at the authors' institution with iNO therapy in 10 consecutive infants with PPHN of a number of etiologies. Infants received iNO at doses of 0.2 to 80 ppm for 1 to 481 h. Five infants were classified as responders (20 torr or greater rise in PaO2) and one as a partial responder (PaO2 rise of 10 to 19 torr). The remaining four did not respond. Overall observed mortality was three of 10, with two of four of nonresponders and the only partial responder dying. Survivors required ventilation for 18±18 days and oxygen for 29±30 days, and they remained in hospital 40±30 days (mean ± SD). Although improvement in oxygenation with iNO was primarily due to reduction in pulmonary pressure, in selective patients, changes in ventilation-perfusion relationships could account for some of the increase in oxygenation. The presence of significant methemoglobinemia in two patients (7% and 4.5%) when the infants' iNO dose was increased to 80 ppm highlights the importance of careful monitoring for toxicity. Further studies are needed to define the best dosage and duration of iNO. While iNO shows great promise in the treatment of PPHN, randomized controlled trials are needed to delineate in which infants iNO use is indicated.
format Article
id doaj-art-7f88dfa543a9417dbb06e1494770fb65
institution Kabale University
issn 1198-2241
language English
publishDate 1996-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Canadian Respiratory Journal
spelling doaj-art-7f88dfa543a9417dbb06e1494770fb652025-08-20T03:35:19ZengWileyCanadian Respiratory Journal1198-22411996-01-013529530010.1155/1996/424895Clinical Experience in the Use of Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Infants with Pulmonary HypertensionRobert P LemkeJaques BelikNiels G GiddinsCarlos A FajardoInhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is a potent local vasodilator. Numerous case reports describe its efficacy in treating persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). This report describes experience at the authors' institution with iNO therapy in 10 consecutive infants with PPHN of a number of etiologies. Infants received iNO at doses of 0.2 to 80 ppm for 1 to 481 h. Five infants were classified as responders (20 torr or greater rise in PaO2) and one as a partial responder (PaO2 rise of 10 to 19 torr). The remaining four did not respond. Overall observed mortality was three of 10, with two of four of nonresponders and the only partial responder dying. Survivors required ventilation for 18±18 days and oxygen for 29±30 days, and they remained in hospital 40±30 days (mean ± SD). Although improvement in oxygenation with iNO was primarily due to reduction in pulmonary pressure, in selective patients, changes in ventilation-perfusion relationships could account for some of the increase in oxygenation. The presence of significant methemoglobinemia in two patients (7% and 4.5%) when the infants' iNO dose was increased to 80 ppm highlights the importance of careful monitoring for toxicity. Further studies are needed to define the best dosage and duration of iNO. While iNO shows great promise in the treatment of PPHN, randomized controlled trials are needed to delineate in which infants iNO use is indicated.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1996/424895
spellingShingle Robert P Lemke
Jaques Belik
Niels G Giddins
Carlos A Fajardo
Clinical Experience in the Use of Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Infants with Pulmonary Hypertension
Canadian Respiratory Journal
title Clinical Experience in the Use of Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Infants with Pulmonary Hypertension
title_full Clinical Experience in the Use of Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Infants with Pulmonary Hypertension
title_fullStr Clinical Experience in the Use of Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Infants with Pulmonary Hypertension
title_full_unstemmed Clinical Experience in the Use of Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Infants with Pulmonary Hypertension
title_short Clinical Experience in the Use of Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Infants with Pulmonary Hypertension
title_sort clinical experience in the use of inhaled nitric oxide in infants with pulmonary hypertension
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1996/424895
work_keys_str_mv AT robertplemke clinicalexperienceintheuseofinhalednitricoxideininfantswithpulmonaryhypertension
AT jaquesbelik clinicalexperienceintheuseofinhalednitricoxideininfantswithpulmonaryhypertension
AT nielsggiddins clinicalexperienceintheuseofinhalednitricoxideininfantswithpulmonaryhypertension
AT carlosafajardo clinicalexperienceintheuseofinhalednitricoxideininfantswithpulmonaryhypertension