Sex Differences in Patent Ductus Arteriosus Incidence and Response to Pharmacological Treatment in Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression.

A widely accepted concept in perinatal medicine is that boys are more susceptible than girls to complications of prematurity. However, whether this 'male disadvantage of prematurity' also involves persistent patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) has been scarcely investigated. Our aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on studies addressing sex differences in the risk of developing PDA among preterm infants.