Ductal size indexed to weight and body surface area correlates with morbidities in preterm infants ≤32 weeks.

Objectives:To assess ductal size correlated to spontaneous closure, pharmacological or surgicaltreatment; to index ductal diameter to body weight and body surface area; to evaluate themorbidities.Study design:Retrospective study on preterms32 weeks, birth weight1500 g, extremelylow birth weight (ELBW) and very low birth weight (VLBW). Inclusion criteria: patent ductus arte-riosus (PDA) with a diameter1 millimeter (mm) at 72h from birth; need for ibuprofen treat-ment on the basis of a hemodynamically significant ductus arteriosus (HsPDA).Results:One hundred infants with the diagnosis of PDA have been included. We observed aprevalence of spontaneous closure in 34% of newborns (41.3% VLBW versus 26.7% ELBW). Thepercentage of response to a single course of ibuprofen was of 62% (68.5% ELBW versus 54.3%VLBW). The mean of absolute ductal diameter was of 2.26 ±0.62 mm in ELBW and2.18 ±0.42mm in VLBW. The indexing of ductus size to body weight demonstrated a highervalue in ELBW than VLBW (2.76± 0.97 mm/kg versus 1.84 ± 0.40 mm/kg).Conclusions:Our results confirmed that HsPDA can develop in presence of a ductus>1.5 mmas absolute value or>1.4 mm/kg as indexed to body weight. In ELBW infants the ductal sizeindexed for body weight and body surface area could be more predictive of spontaneous clos-ure or need for pharmacological treatment compared to the absolute value of ductal size. Astrong association between HsPDA and short- or long-term morbidities was confirmed particu-larly in ELBW