Does Early PDA Screening Benefit Extremely Premature Babies?

Routine early echocardiographic PDA screening might reduce short-term mortality for extremely preterm infants.

The optimal management of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is still under debate, because the benefit of treatment on survival or long-term outcomes is unclear from randomized clinical trials. Despite a lack of clear supporting evidence, some neonatologists actively screen for and treat PDA during the early days of life or follow a conservative “permissive” strategy to managing this condition.

In a recent prospective, population-based cohort study (EPIPAGE2), researchers in France analyzed whether receipt of early (before day 3) screening echocardiography was associated with reduced in-hospital mortality or morbidity among extremely preterm infants (gestational age, 24–28 weeks). Propensity scoring was used to match 605 screened infants with 6…

Reviewing Author

Robin Steinhorn, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardActelion Pharmaceuticals

Editorial BoardsJournal of Pediatrics

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Pediatric Society (President); American Board of Pediatrics (Board of Directors)

Robin Steinhorn, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardActelion Pharmaceuticals

Editorial BoardsJournal of Pediatrics

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Pediatric Society (President); American Board of Pediatrics (Board of Directors)

Does Early PDA Screening Benefit Extremely Premature Babies?

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Reviewing Author