Babies who are born very prematurely are often born with murmurs in the heart. In preterm babies, one of the most common causes of murmur is the presence of a PDA. This is the persistence of a connection that normally exists in the baby before it is born, connecting between the major blood vessels that leave the heart. In term babies, this channel closes shortly after birth when normal adult circulation is achieved. However, in preterm babies, the PDA can remain open, which can lead to multiple problems in the baby. Our current standard of treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is to perform cardiac ultrasound (echocardiogram) in all babies less than 29 weeks gestation to diagnose the presence of hsPDA. We also use an echocardiogram to follow the PDA until complete closure. If present, the standard treatment in the NICU is to give medication, usually Ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), to close the PDA. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a new type of device to detect oxygenated blood supply to the brain, kidney, and abdominal regions. This device is used to assess the effects of Ibuprofen on oxygen supply to these three regions.
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Change in regional tissue oxygenation (splanchnic, cerebral, and the splanchnic-cerebral oxygenation ratio 'SCOR') during hsPDA treatment
Timeframe: with the first 28 days after enrolment
Change in splanchnic, cerebral, and renal Doppler blood flow during hsPDA treatment [Peak Systolic Velocity (PSV), End Diastolic Velocity (EDV), and Resistive Index (RI)]
Timeframe: with the first 28 days after enrolment