D. Trevisanuto et al., Effect of patent ductus arteriosus and indomethacin treatment on serum cardiac troponin T levels in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome, EUR J PED, 159(4), 2000, pp. 273-276
Cardiac troponin T (cTnT) represents a sensitive and specific marker of isc
hemic myocardial damage in adult and neonatal populations. The aim of this
study was to detect the potential ischemic effect of persistent patent duct
us arteriosus (PDA) and indomethacin treatment on the coronary vascular bed
by measuring cTnT concentrations. cTnT levels were measured in 23 preterm
infants (<32 weeks of gestational age) with respiratory distress syndrome (
RDS), 11 with PDA and 12 without, at 2, 4, and 7 days after birth. cTnT con
centrations (mean +/- SEM) significantly decreased (P < 0.05) from the 2nd
(0.63 +/- 0.09 mu g/l) and the 4th (0.77 +/- 0.13 mu g/l) to the 7th postna
tal day (0.28 +/- 0.04 mu g/l). At day 2 after birth, cTnT levels in preter
m infants with RDS were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than our reference
values for healthy preterm neonates (0.63 +/- 0.09 mu g/l vs 0.18 +/- 0.04
mu g/l). No differences were found between RDS infants with and without PDA
at 2 (0.65 +/- 0.13 vs 0.61 +/- 0.14 mu g/l), 4 (0.71 +/- 0.21 vs 0.87 +/-
0.16 mu g/l), and 7 (0.26 +/- 0.05 vs 0.29 +/- 0.07 mu g/l) days of life.
In infants with PDA, cTnT levels did not differ before the first dose of in
domethacin was given (0.65 +/- 0.14 mu g/l) or 2 h (0.65 +/- 0.15 mu g/l) a
nd 48 h (0.71 +/- 0.21 mu g/l) afterwards.
Conclusion In preterm infants with RDS the occurrence of PDA and indomethac
in treatment are not associated with ischemic cardiac damage as detected by
cTnT measurements.