Efficacy and safety of endotracheal instillation of iloprost for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn

• Published in: Cardiology in the young 2022-12, Vol.32 (12), p.1894-1900
• Main Authors: Okbay Gunes, Asli, Ciftel, Murat, Timur, Mehmet Emcet, Dedebali, Ceren, Pirdal, Betul Zehra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adverse events; Birth weight; Blood pressure; Effectiveness; Gestational age; Heart rate; Hypertension; Intensive Care; Lungs; Mechanical ventilation; Neonates; Newborn babies; Nitric oxide; Original Article; Oxygen; Oxygen content; Oxygen saturation; Patients; Pulmonary arteries; Pulmonary artery; Pulmonary hypertension; Respiratory tract; Safety; Saturation index; Veins & arteries; Ventilators
• ISSN: 1047-9511; 1467-1107
• DOI: 10.1017/S1047951121005072

To determine the efficacy and safety of endotracheal instillation of iloprost as a rescue therapy for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. Neonates diagnosed with persistent pulmonary hypertension who were unresponsive to standard treatment protocol applied for persistent pulmonary hypertension in our unit, and who were being followed up with mechanical ventilation, were included in the study. Iloprost was instilled endotracheally as a rescue treatment. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure, oxygen saturation index, mean airway pressure, fraction of inspired oxygen, preductal and postductal venous oxygen saturation, heart rate, and blood pressure were recorded before and after 30 minutes of endotracheal iloprost instillation. Adverse events after endotracheal iloprost were recorded. Twenty neonates were included. The median gestational age and birth weight were found to be 37 (30.5-38) weeks and 2975 (2125-3437.5) grams, respectively. When compared to the period before endotracheal iloprost instillation, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, oxygen saturation index, mean airway pressure, and fraction of inspired oxygen values significantly decreased (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.021, p = 0.001, respectively), whereas preductal and postductal oxygen saturation values significantly increased 30 minutes after the endotracheal iloprost instillation (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences in heart rate and blood pressure values before and after the iloprost administration. No adverse events were observed. Endotracheal instillation of iloprost was found to be an effective and safe therapy for persistent pulmonary hypertension unresponsive to conventional treatment.