Injectable Acetaminophen Effectiveness in Closing Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Term Infants Hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Background: Patent ductus arteriosus is a short path of fetal blood circulation through the lungs that is necessary to maintain life inside the womb. Although this duct should be closed right after birth, in some cases, it remains open and may cause life threatening complications. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of injectable acetaminophen in closing patent ductus arteriosus in term infants.Methods: This study was conducted as a randomized, blinded clinical trial on ۸۰ infants diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus in the neonatal intensive care unit in Afzalipur Hospital, Kerman. The infants were randomly divided into control and intervention groups. The intervention group received injectable acetaminophen at a dose of ۲۰ mg based on weight in the first hour and ۱۰ mg based on weight every six hours for three days after receiving the initial dose. And the placebo group received ۱۰% dextrose serum equal to acetaminophen amount with the same treatment intervals. Echocardiography was performed again in both groups after three days and the state of PDA closure was evaluated.Results: Gestational age averages in the intervention and control groups were ۳۷.۸۸ ± ۰.۱۳ weeks and ۳۷.۹۵ ± ۰.۱۵ weeks, respectively (P=۰.۷۳۸); and the birth weight averages were ۲۹۹۶ ± ۸۳.۴۱ grams and ۶۴.۰۹ ± ۲۹۸۲ grams, respectively (P=۰.۸۹۹). The male gender in the intervention group (۵۷.۵%) was higher than that in the control group (۴۰%) (P=۰.۱۵۸). The most common cause of hospitalization of newborns in the intervention and control groups was TTN (Transient Tachypnea of the newborn) (۷۵.۰% and ۶۷.۵%, respectively) and NAS (Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome) (۱۵.۰% and ۲۰.۰%, respectively) (P=۰.۹۸۵). In the intervention group with injectable acetaminophen, ۸۵.۵% of infants had their PDA closed after receiving the first course of acetaminophen, while this rate was ۰.۶۵% in the control group (P=۰.۰۱۶).Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, injectable acetaminophen can effectively improve PDA disorder of term babies. While the effectiveness of routine drugs used in the treatment of this disorder decreases with increasing infants’ age, injectable acetaminophen showed its beneficial effects significantly.

کلیدواژه ها:

injectable acetaminophen ، Patent Ductus Arteriosus ، premature baby ، Term baby