Prevalence of Spontaneous Closure of the Ductus Arteriosus in Neonates at a Birth Weight of 1000 Grams or Less

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. Ductus arteriosus (DA) closure occurs within 96 hours in >95% of neonates >1500 g in birth weight (BW). The prevalence and postnatal age of spontaneous ductal closure in neonates ≤1000 g in BW (extremely low birth weight [ELBW] neonates) remain unclear, as does the incidence of failure to close with indomethacin. Therefore, we prospectively examined the prevalence, postnatal age, and clinical variables associated with spontaneous DA closure, occurrence of persistent patent DA, and indomethacin failure in ELBW neonates.METHODS. Neonates delivered at Parkland Memorial Hospital from February 2001 through December 2003 were studied. Those with congenital heart defects or death 34% of ELBW neonates and is predicted by variables related to maturation, for example, EGA and an absence of HMD, whereas indomethacin failure could not be predicated.