Prostaglandin E1 in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and life-threatening pulmonary hypertension

Space: StayCurrentMD Author: Kévin Le Duc, Sébastien Mur, Dyuti Sharma, Estelle Aubry, Morgan Recher, Thameur Rakza, Laurent Storme, Center for Rare Disease «Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia» Published: 2020-02-12

Author / Expert

Kévin Le Duc, Sébastien Mur, Dyuti Sharma, Estelle Aubry, Morgan Recher, Thameur Rakza, Laurent Storme, Center for Rare Disease «Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia»

Topic overview

Abstract

Background

Suprasystemic pulmonary hypertension (PH) is highly predictive of pulmonary morbidity and death in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Objectives

To report the effects and tolerability of Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) in newborns with severe CDH and life-threatening PH.

Methods

Newborn infants with isolated CDH and life-threatening PH defined by an acute worsening of the cardiorespiratory function, and bidirectional or exclusive right-to-left shunting across the ductus arteriosus (DA) with an acceleration of the blood flow >1.5 m.s−1 assessed by Doppler echocardiography. Serial measurements of cardiorespiratory variables have been recorded before and after PGE1.

Results

18 infants (out of 102 in the cohort) were included in the study (gestational age: 39 ± 2 weeks). The median FiO2, and preductal and postductal SpO2 were 80% [50; 100], 91% [88; 95] and 86% [82; 91], respectively, before treatment. FiO2 decreased to 35% [30–40] (p = 0.001) at H6. Maximal blood flow velocities in the DA decreased after starting PGE1 from 2.2 m.s−1 [1.5–2.5] to 1 m.s−1 [0.55–1.2] (p 