Prevention and 18-month outcomes of serious pulmonary hemorrhage in extremely low birth weight infants: Results from the trial of indomethacin prophylaxis in preterms

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: A patent ductus arteriosus is a risk factor for pulmonary hemorrhage; however, despite halving the incidence of patent ductus arteriosus, indomethacin prophylaxis did not reduce the rate of pulmonary hemorrhage in the Trial of Indomethacin Prophylaxis in Preterms. Inclusion of mild bleeds after trauma to the upper airways may have masked a beneficial drug effect. Using the Trial of Indomethacin Prophylaxis in Preterms database, we studied the effect of prophylactic indomethacin on the prevention of serious hemorrhages in extremely low birth weight infants. We also compared the 18-month outcomes of infants with and without a serious pulmonary bleed. METHODS: Pulmonary hemorrhage w..