Abstract
Objective The evidence on the role of early pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) in the development
of late pulmonary hypertension (PH) in the extremely preterm infants is limited. Objectives
were to determine the incidence of early and late PH in extreme preterm infants and
to evaluate the role of early PH as a risk factor for development of clinically detected
late PH.
Methods It was a retrospective analysis of early echocardiograms (day of life 5–14) in preterm
infants, 22 to 27 weeks' gestation, admitted to the University of Iowa NICU between
July 01, 2012 to June 30, 2015. Late echocardiograms performed for clinical suspicion
of PH were also analyzed.
Results A total of 154 infants were included in the study. Early PH was diagnosed in 31 (20%)
infants. Twenty-four (16%) infants were evaluated for clinically suspected PH. Eight
(5%) infants were diagnosed with late PH. Infants with early PH had echocardiograms
performed earlier than infants without the evidence of early PH. Early PH was not
associated with the development of late PH (p = 0.99).
Conclusion Early PH is common among extremely preterm infants (20%). Five percent of infants
had clinically detected late PH. Infants with early PH had echocardiograms performed
earlier than infants without the evidence of early PH. Early PH was not associated
with the development of clinically detected late PH.
Keywords
bronchopulmonary dysplasia - pulmonary hypertension - pulmonary vascular disease -
extremely premature infants
