Patient Characteristics in Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn

Abstract EN

Objective.

To assess the impact of PPHN on mortality, morbidity, and behavioural skills.

Methods.

A retrospective observational study of 143 newborns with PPHN, over an 11-year period, using objective health-status data from medical records and family doctors, and subjective health status data from a standardized Child Behaviour Checklist.

Results.

The majority of patients were males, treated with inhaled nitric oxide had maladaptation/maldevelopment as pathophysiological mechanism and a gestational age >37 weeks.

In term newborns, types of pathophysiological mechanism (P<.001) and Oxygen Index (P=.02) were independent predicting risk factors for PPHN-related mortality.

Analysis of preexisting disease and outcome categories in term newborns showed only a significant correlation between the use of iNO and respiratory complaints (P=.03), not confirmed by multivariate analysis and regression analysis.

Conclusions.

PPHN is a serious, often fatal condition.

The incidence of PPHN in preterm newborns is high.

In term survivors, PPHN had no additional role in morbidity/outcome.