Prophylactic ibuprofen therapy of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants

This study was aimed at evaluating the efficacy of ibuprofen in the prophyl axis of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in very preterm neonates and at dete cting eventual side-effects. A total of 46 preterm neonates with gestationa l age under 31 weeks were randomly assigned at 2 h of life: 23 to the proph ylaxis group and 23 to the control group. The prophylaxis group received in travenous treatment with ibuprofen lysine (10 mg/kg), followed by 5 mg/kg a fter 24 h and 48 h. No placebo was given to the control group. No PDA was d emonstrated at 72 h of life in 20 of the 23 babies in the ibuprofen group ( 87%) nor in 7 of the 23 control neonates (30.4%). All neonates with PDA rec eived treatment with indomethacin. One neonate in the prophylaxis group and three in the control group underwent surgical ligation. Prophylaxis with i buprofen was not associated with any significant side-effect except for foo d intolerance. Conclusion Ibuprofen prophylaxis seems to be efficient in closing patent du ctus arteriosus and in reducing indomethacin treatment. No significant earl y side-effects were found due to ibuprofen.