Incidence and risk factors associated with the patency of ductus arteriosus in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome in Kuwait.

Objective: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is considered to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality among preterm infants. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of PDA in ventilated preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and to evaluate the role of some antenatal risk factors on its occurrence in our population.

Methods: The case records of the preterm infants of <34 weeks gestational age, who were ventilated for RDS at the neonatal intensive care unit of Maternity Hospital, Safat, Kuwait, between March 1998 and February 1999, were reviewed. Diagnosis of PDA was based on echocardiographic findings. The association between the risk factors chosen and the PDA was also evaluated.

Results: A total of 101 infants whose gestational ages ranged between 25-33 weeks, and birth weights between 685-1580 grams were included. Fifty-four had a significant PDA (53.4%). Maternal diabetes and antepartum hemorrhage (APH), birth weights, gestational ages, multiplicity and gender of the infants were found to be related to the incidence of PDA.

Conclusion: The incidence of PDA in our ventilated preterm infants with RDS is similar to those reported from other neonatal units outside Kuwait. There are some factors that may identify babies, who are prone to develop PDA, which need to be confirmed by further prospective studies using a larger population.