Patent ductus arteriosus and spontaneous intestinal perforation in a cohort of preterm infants

To assess whether either duration and magnitude of ductal shunt or medical treatment for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) are related to spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP). Study design: Clinical charts of infants <29 weeks’ gestation born from 2006 to 2018 were reviewed. Echocardiographic examinations were evaluated according to McNamara and Sehgal’s staging system. Results: A higher percentage of patients with SIP had a hemodynamically significant PDA (HSPDA) and was treated with either NSAIDs or paracetamol (79% vs 53% and 81% vs 54%, respectively). Among non-treated patients, we found a 1.32 increase in the odds of SIP per day of persistence of HSPDA. In the cohort of patients treated despite the absence of HSPDA, we found a 2.35 increase in the odds of SIP per dose of drug administered. Conclusion: Both treating a non-HSPDA and leaving a HSPDA to its natural history seem to be associated with SIP.