Acute hemodynamic effects of pulsed delivery of low flow nasal nitric oxide in children with pulmonary hypertension.

We studied 8 children, ages 8 months to 14 years, during cardiac catheterization in order to determine the acute hemodynamic effects of pulsed nasal cannula delivery of nitric oxide (NO) in children with pulmonary hypertension. NO was administered by continuous mask or pulsed nasal cannula in random order. All patients effectively triggered the NO pulsing device. Pulsed delivery of inhaled NO lowered mean pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance as effectively as mask delivery of NO. Pulsed inhaled NO delivery may potentially be useful for the long-term domiciliary treatment of pulmonary hypertension in children.