Comparative effectiveness and safety of indomethacin versus ibuprofen for the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus

Congenital Heart Disease: The State-of-the-Art on Its Pharmacological Therapeutics

Congenital heart disease is one of the most common causes of death derived from malformations. Historically, its treatment has depended on timely diagnosis and early pharmacological and surgical interventions. Survival rates for patients with this disease have increased, primarily due to advancements in therapeutic choices, but mortality remains high. Since this disease is a time-sensitive pathology, pharmacological interventions are needed to improve clinical outcomes. Therefore, we analyzed the applications, dosage, and side effects of drugs currently used for treating congenital heart disease. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, and potassium-sparing diuretics have shown a mortality benefit in most patients. Other therapies, such as endothelin receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, prostaglandins, and soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulators, have benefited patients with pulmonary artery hypertension. Likewise, the adjunctive symptomatic treatment of these patients has further improved the outcomes, since antiarrhythmics, digoxin, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have shown their benefits in these cases. Conclusively, these drugs also carry the risk of troublesome adverse effects, such as electrolyte imbalances and hemodynamic compromise. However, their benefits for survival, symptom improvement, and stabilization outweigh the possible complications from their use. Thus, cases must be assessed individually to accurately identify interventions that would be most beneficial for patients.

Efficacy and safety of high versus standard dose ibuprofen for patent ductus arteriosus treatment in preterm infants: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Several small randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies have compared high (15-20/7.5-10/7.5-10 mg/kg/dose) versus standard dose (10/5/5 mg/kg/dose) ibuprofen for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure, with limited evidence on efficacy and safety.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review and meta-analyze studies of high versus standard dose ibuprofen for the closure of PDA in preterm infants.

METHODS

Databases were searched for RCTs and observational studies assessing high compared to standard dose of ibuprofen for PDA closure for preterm infants until August 2021. The primary outcome was failure of PDA closure after the first course of ibuprofen. The secondary outcomes were the failure of PDA closure after a second course of ibuprofen, rates of PDA ligation, all-cause mortality prior to hospital discharge, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, bleeding disorders, oliguria, and serum creatinine after treatment.

RESULTS

There were 6 studies with 369 patients (3 RCT, N = 190; 3 observational studies, N = 179). Compared to standard dose, high dose ibuprofen did not significantly decrease the failure rate of PDA closure in preterm infants after the first course (Relative risk (RR) 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53 -1.03, 6 studies, N = 369). High dose ibuprofen significantly decreased the rates of PDA ligation compared to standard dose (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.16 -0.70, 5 studies, N = 309).

INTERPRETATION

Based on low-grade evidence, high dose ibuprofen may more effectively reduce rates of PDA ligation compared to standard dose with no increase in adverse effects, neonatal morbidities and mortality.

Conservative treatment of iatrogenic perforations caused by gastric tubes in extremely low birth weight infants

BACKGROUND

Iatrogenic gastrointestinal perforations are rare, but life-threatening events in preterm infants.

AIM

Aim of the study was to report on incidence, management, morbidity, and mortality.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a retrospective analysis performed at a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit in Vienna, Austria.

SUBJECTS

Extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW, birth weight < 1000 g) with perforations of the upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT) caused by gastric tubes were included.

OUTCOME MEASURES

All ELBW infants born within the 6-year study period were identified and their discharge summaries or notes were screened for esophageal and gastric perforations. Data on incidence, management of GIT perforations, morbidity, and mortality were obtained.

RESULTS

During a 6-year study period 646 ELBW infants were analyzed. Incidence of perforations was 1.1% (n = 7/646). Median gestational age was 23 + 3 (range: 23 + 0-24 + 5). Perforations occurred on the third day of life (=median, range: day 2-14) and were primarily managed conservatively. Enteral feeding was stopped for 6 days (range: 4-13 days), antibiotic therapy administered for 16 days (range: 8-22 days). In one infant, gastrorrhaphy was performed.

CONCLUSIONS

Conservative treatment of upper GIT perforations led to spontaneous recovery without major complications in 85.7%.

Indomethacin dosing strategy and neonatal patent ductus arteriosus closure

BACKGROUND

Few studies exist that have evaluated the effects of indomethacin dosing frequency as a factor associated with successful patent ductus arteriosus closure in very low birth weight neonates. The objective of this study is to determine if indomethacin dosing strategy is associated with efficacy for initial patent ductus arteriosus management in very low birth weight neonates.

METHODS

This retrospective review compared every 12 hour and every 24 hour indomethacin regimens primarily for efficacy in initial patent ductus arteriosus management, defined as an absence of repeat medical and/or surgical treatment, and secondarily for safety in both univariate and multivariate models.

RESULTS

One hundred three very low birth weight neonates were included: 56 (54%) received every 12 hour and 47 (46%) underwent every 24 hour indomethacin dosing. Repeat medical and/or surgical patent ductus arteriosus treatment rates were similar between groups. Less ligation of the patent ductus arteriosus occurred with every 12 hour versus every 24 hour dosing (11% vs. 26%, p = 0.05), though this effect was mitigated controlling for birth weight and gestational age. Renal function, respiratory outcomes, feeding outcomes, length of stay, and mortality were similar between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Neither the every 12 hour nor the every 24 hour indomethacin regimen demonstrated inferior efficacy or safety for initial management of patent ductus arteriosus. Further prospective analysis of indomethacin dosing strategy is warranted.

Efficacy and safety of pharmacological treatments for patent ductus arteriosus closure: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of clinical trials and observational studies

Efficacy and safety profiles of different pharmacological interventions used to treat patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) are relatively unexplored. Integrating the findings of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) with those from observational studies may provide key evidence on this important issue. We aimed at estimating the relative likelihood of failure to close the PDA, need for surgical closure, and occurrence of adverse events among preterm and full-term infants treated with indomethacin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen, placebo, or no treatment including both RCTs and observational studies. We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Register of Controlled Trials from inception to October 30, 2018. We first estimated proportions of subjects with failure to close the PDA, subjects in whom surgical closure was performed after pharmacological treatment, death, and subjects with selected adverse events (AEs). These estimates were obtained using frequentist random-effect meta-analysis of arm-specific proportions. We then compared active drugs with each other and with control (either placebo or no treatment) by summarizing results at the end of treatment reported in the papers, regardless of number of administration(s), dose, route and type of administration, and study design and quality. We also summarized primary outcome results separately at first, second and third cycles of treatment. These estimates were obtained using Bayesian random-effects network meta-analysis for mixed comparisons, and frequentist random-effect pairwise meta-analysis for direct comparisons. We included 64 RCTs and 24 observational studies including 14,568 subjects (5339 in RCTs and 9229 in observational studies, 8292 subjects received indomethacin, 4761 ibuprofen, 574 acetaminophen, and 941 control (including placebo or no intervention).The proportion of subjects with failure to close the PDA was 0.24 (95% Confidence Interval, CI: 0.20, 0.29) for indomethacin, 0.18 (0.14, 0.22) for ibuprofen, 0.19 (0.09, 0.30) for acetaminophen, and 0.59 (0.48, 0.69) for control. At end of treatment, compared to control, we found inverse associations between all active drugs and failure to close PDA (for indomethacin Odds Ratio, OR, was 0.17 [95% Credible Interval, CrI: 0.11-0.24], ibuprofen 0.19 [0.12-0.28], and acetaminophen 0.15 [0.09-0.26]), without differences among active drugs. We showed inverse associations between effective drugs and need for surgical closure, as compared to control (for indomethacin OR was 0.28 [0.15-0.50], ibuprofen 0.30 [0.16-0.54], and acetaminophen 0.19 [0.07-0.46]), without differences among drugs. Indomethacin was directly associated with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) (1.27; 1.00, 1.62) compared to ibuprofen, and to oliguria as compared to ibuprofen (3.92; 1.69, 9.82) or acetaminophen (10.8; 1.86, 93.1). In conclusion, active pharmacological treatment, with indomethacin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen, is inversely associated with failure to close the PDA compared to non-treatment. Ibuprofen should be preferred to indomethacin to avoid occurrence of IVH or oliguria, acetaminophen should be preferred to indomethacin to avoid oliguria.

CYP2C9*2 is associated with indomethacin treatment failure for patent ductus arteriosus

Aims: To identify clinical andgenetic factors associated with indomethacin treatment failure in preterm neonates with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Patients & Methods: This is a multicenter cohort study of 144 preterm infants (22-32 weeks gestational age) at three centers who received at least one treatment course of indomethacin for PDA. Indomethacin failure was defined as requiring subsequent surgical intervention. Results: In multivariate analysis, gestational age (AOR 0.76, 95% CI 0.60-0.96), surfactant use (AOR 9.77, 95% CI 1.15-83.26), and CYP2C9*2 (AOR 3.74; 95% CI 1.34-10.44) were each associated with indomethacin failure. Conclusion: Age, surfactant use, and CYP2C9*2 influence indomethacin treatment outcome in preterm infants with PDA. This combination of clinical and genetic factors may facilitate targeted indomethacin use for PDA.

Efficacy and Safety of Paracetamol for Patent Ductus Arteriosus Closure in Preterm Infants: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Indomethacin and ibuprofen, two commonly used prostaglandin inhibitors, are the drugs of choice for patent ductus arteriosus. However, paracetamol is an alternative choice when these drugs are ineffective or contraindicated. This study aimed to confirm paracetamol's efficacy and safety compared with those of other drugs or placebos for patent ductus arteriosus closure in premature infants. Methods: We conducted a literature search using the Cochrane Library, PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE databases for randomized controlled trials and quasi-randomized controlled trials. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to direct the process and PICO (P, population; I, intervention/interest; C, comparator; O, outcome) principle to constitute the theme. We combined the research data through qualitative summaries or meta-analyses. Results: The final analyses included 15 trials (N = 1,313). No significant differences were noted between paracetamol and ibuprofen except for shorter mean days needed for patent ductus arteriosus closure, lower risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, and hyperbilirubinemia. No significant difference existed between paracetamol and indomethacin. Oral paracetamol was more effective than placebo in infants weighing 1,501-2,500 g. Conclusions: Our study findings tentatively conclude that paracetamol can induce early patent ductus arteriosus closure without significant side effects but that its efficacy is not superior to that of indomethacin.

Prostaglandin E2 Receptor EP4 Inhibition Contracts Rat Ductus Arteriosus

BACKGROUND

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is common in premature infants. Cyclooxygenase inhibitors such as indomethacin, which inhibit prostaglandin E₂(PGE₂) synthesis, are currently the sole treatments for patients with PDA. Their efficacy are, however, frequently limited, and adverse effects are problematic. Because the PGE₂-specific receptor EP4 selectively expresses in rat ductus arteriosus (DA), it is hypothesized that EP4 inhibition would promote DA closure with fewer side-effects.Methods and Results:A new chemical compound EP4 antagonist, RQ-15986 (renamed from CJ-042794), was used. Whether RQ-15986 selectively contracted the DA was examined by measuring the isometric tension of rat DA ex vivo at embryonic day 19 (e19) and e21. RQ-15986 at a dose of 10^-6mol/L increased the isometric tension of the DA up to 44.8±6.2% and 69.1±12.9% to the maximal KCl-induced tension at e19 and e21 respectively. The effect of RQ-15986 on rat DA in vivo was also tested by using a rapid whole-body freezing method. RQ-15986 inhibited PGE₁-induced DA dilatation in neonatal rats. Furthermore, RQ-15986 contracted the DA in a dose-dependent manner, and the constriction was greater at e21 than at e19. Moreover, RQ-15986 did not contract the aorta or the marginal artery of the colon.

CONCLUSIONS

EP4 inhibition contracts rat DA with fewer side-effects. EP4 inhibition is a promising alternative strategy to treat patients with PDA.

Effects of prophylactic oral ibuprofen on the closure rate of patent ductus arteriosus in premature infants

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of prophylactic oral ibuprofen on the closure rate of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).This was a retrospective study and data on infants born before 36 weeks were collected. The prophylactic group was treated with ibuprofen (10, 5, and 5 mg/kg) from days 1 to 3 after birth, respectively. The conventional group was treated with the same dose of ibuprofen from days 4 to 6 once they were echocardiographically confirmed with PDA on day 3 after birth. The placebo group was treated with 5% glucose.The closure rate of PDA in the prophylactic group significantly increased on day 7 compared with the placebo group (P = .02), but showed no difference compared with the conventional group (P = .12). Serum NT-proBNP in the prophylactic and conventional groups decreased compared with the placebo group (P = .03 vs P = .07).Prophylactic oral ibuprofen can increase the closure rate of PDA in premature infants; however, it showed no significant advantages compared with conventional treatment. Serum NT-proBNP can be used to observe PDA treatment responses in premature infants.

Changes in the Diagnosis and Management of Patent Ductus Arteriosus from 2006 to 2015 in United States Neonatal Intensive Care Units

OBJECTIVE

To identify changes in the diagnosis, pharmacotherapy, and surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus (PDAs) in infants born premature and report on temporal changes in mortality and morbidity from a large volume of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the US.

STUDY DESIGN

We queried the Pediatrix Clinical Data Warehouse for all inborn infants without major anomalies born between 23 and 30 weeks' gestation from 2006 to 2015 for a diagnosis of PDA, use of indomethacin or ibuprofen, history of ductal ligation, mortality, and major morbidities.

RESULTS

There were 829 091 infants entered in the Clinical Data Warehouse; 61 520 infants from 280 NICUs met our inclusion criteria. The diagnosis of PDA declined from 51% to 38% (P < .001), use of indomethacin or ibuprofen decreased from 32% to 18%, and PDA ligation decreased from 8.4% to 2.9% (both P < .001). During the study period, mortality decreased with no increase in any measured morbidity. Of the 163 sites with data for both periods, 128 (79%) showed a decrease in the diagnosis of PDA, and 132 (81%) showed a decrease in the use indomethacin and/or ibuprofen when 2011-2015 was compared with 2006-2010. Of 103 sites with at least 1 PDA ligation, 85 (83%) showed a decrease in PDA ligation in a similar comparison.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large population of infants <30 weeks' gestation from 280 NICUs across the US, there were significant decreases in the diagnosis and treatment of the PDA. Although there was no evidence of increased morbidities, it remains uncertain how these changes may directly affect infant outcomes.

Oral paracetamol versus oral ibuprofen for treatment of patent ductus arteriosus

Objective

This study was performed to investigate the safety and efficacy of oral paracetamol versus oral ibuprofen in the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in premature infants.

Methods

Premature infants with PDA with a gestational age of ≤32 weeks or birth weight of ≤1500 g were included in this randomized study.

Results

A total of 120 premature infants fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Of these 120 infants, 34 fulfilled the treatment criteria and 22 were finally randomized. We found no significant difference in the mortality or primary closure rates between the two groups. We also found no significant difference in the short-term neonatal outcomes.

Conclusions

Either oral paracetamol or oral ibuprofen can be used safely and effectively to treat PDA in premature infants.

Comparative Effectiveness of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug Treatment vs No Treatment for Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Preterm Infants

IMPORTANCE

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is associated with increased mortality and worsened respiratory outcomes, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), in preterm infants. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are efficacious in closing PDA, but the effectiveness of NSAID-mediated PDA closure in improving mortality and preventing BPD is unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effectiveness of NSAID treatment for PDA in reducing mortality and moderate/severe BPD at 36 weeks postmenstrual age.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study included 12 018 infants born at 28 gestational weeks or younger discharged between January 2006 and December 2013 from neonatal intensive care units in 25 US children's hospitals included in the Pediatric Health Information System. We performed an instrumental variable analysis that incorporated clinician preference-based, institutional variation in NSAID treatment frequency to determine the effect of NSAID treatment for PDA on mortality and BPD.

EXPOSURES

Proportion of NSAID-treated infants born at each infant's institution within ±6 months of that infant's birth.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary composite outcome was death, moderate, or severe BPD at 36 weeks postmenstrual age.

RESULTS

Of the 6370 male and 5648 female infants in this study, 4995 (42%) were white, 3176 (26%) were African American, 1823 (15%) were Hispanic, and 1555 (13%) were other races/ethnicities. The proportion of NSAID-treated infants at each infant's hospital within ±6 months of that infant's birth was associated with NSAID treatment and not associated with gestation, race/ethnicity, or sex. An infant's chances of receiving NSAID treatment increased by 0.84% (95% CI, 0.8-0.9; P < .001) for every 1% increase in the annual NSAID treatment percentage at a given hospital. An instrumental variable analysis demonstrated no association between NSAID treatment and the odds of mortality or BPD (odds ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.70-1.25; P = .69), mortality (odds ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.43-1.13; P = .18), or BPD (odds ratio, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.73-1.45; P = .94) in survivors.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

When we incorporated clinician preference-based practice variation as an instrument to minimize the effect of unmeasured confounding, we detected no changes in the odds of mortality or moderate/severe BPD among similar preterm infants born at 28 weeks or younger following NSAID treatment for PDA initiated 2 to 28 days postnatally. Our findings agree with available randomized clinical trial evidence and support a conservative approach to PDA management.

The Link Between Infantile Colic and Migraine

Infantile colic is a self-limiting disorder of excessive infant crying or fussiness that peaks at 6 weeks of age and typically improves by 3 months of age. The etiology of infantile colic has yet to be definitively elucidated, but there is increasing research to support its relationship to migraine. The aims of this review are to present recent research investigating the connection between infantile colic and migraine. The importance of identifying this connection is useful in reducing invasive and potentially harmful investigations and to identify age appropriate pharmacologic interventions that would be safe in this population.