Patient Characteristics in Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn

• Main Authors: M. T. R. Roofthooft, A. Elema, K. A. Bergman, R. M. F. Berger
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2011-01-01
• Series: Pulmonary Medicine
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/858154

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.