AUTHOR=Bravo Maria Carmen , Ybarra Marta , Madero Rosario , Pellicer Adelina TITLE=Childhood Neurodevelopmental Outcome in Low Birth Weight Infants With Post-ligation Cardiac Syndrome After Ductus Arteriosus Closure JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology VOLUME=10 YEAR=2019 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.00718 DOI=10.3389/fphys.2019.00718 ISSN=1664-042X ABSTRACT=Background

Post-ligation cardiac syndrome (PLCS) is a common complication of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) surgical closure in low birth weight infants. It has been associated with mortality, but there is a lack of information about the neurodevelopmental outcome of the survivors. We aimed to explore the prevalence of PLCS and to assess whether this clinical condition is a risk factor for adverse outcome, (moderate or severe neurodevelopmental disabilities).

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of all the infants < 30 weeks of gestation who underwent ductus arteriosus ligation at our unit between 2005 and 2009.

Results

During the study period, 39 preterm infants [mean gestational age 26.4 (2) weeks] underwent surgical closure of the PDA at a mean postnatal age of 25.3 (2.3) days. Twenty six percent of the study population developed PLCS. Five infants died and the follow-up was accomplished in 24 infants (70% of the survivors) at a mean age of 5.3 (1.5) years (range 2–9 years). Neurodevelopmental impairment was observed in 6 in the PLCS group (75%) and in 6 infants in the no PLCS group (37%), p = 0.08]. Multiple regression analyses showed that the best fitting model for predicting adverse outcome included PLCS and low birth weight, p = 0.018.

Conclusion

Preterm infants undergoing surgical closure of PDA who fulfill the criteria of PLCS according to this study seem to have a tendency toward higher risk of long-term neurodevelopmental impairment. Prospective clinical trials reporting long-term follow-up data should be designed to confirm the hypotheses generated in this pilot study.