Neurodevelopmental and medical outcomes of persistent pulmonary hypertension in term newborns treated with nitric oxide.

Objective: To determine the medical and neurodevelopmental outcome of children with moderately severe persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) treated with or without inhaled nitric oxide (I-NO).

Study Design: Term infants with PPHN and a baseline oxygenation index of 24 +/- 9 at study entry were randomly assigned to early treatment with placebo or initial doses of I-NO (5, 20, and 80 ppm). Outcome was measured at approximately 1 year by frequency of hospitalization, growth, and neurodevelopmental and audiologic evaluation.