Neurodevelopmental outcome in high-risk preterm infants treated with inhaled nitric oxide

Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is used to treat preterm infants with hypoxaemic respiratory failure. In this study we describe the long-term survival and neurodevelopmental status of high-risk preterm infants enrolled into a randomized controlled trial of iNO therapy. Information regarding long-term outcome was available for all 25 children enrolled in the original trial who survived until discharge from hospital. Formal, blinded, developmental assessment and neurological examinations were performed in 21 out of 22 children still alive at 30 mo of age, corrected for prematurity. No significant differences were found in long-term mortality (12/20 vs 8/22, RR 1.65, 95% CI 0.87-3.3), neurodevelopmental delay (4/7 vs 9/14, RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.37-1.75), severe neurodisability (0/7 vs 5/14, p = 0.12) or cerebral palsy (0/7 vs 2/14, p = 0.53) between iNO-treated and control infants. CONCLUSION: In this study there was no evidence of a significant effect on either survival or long-term neurodevelopmental status in infants treated with iNO.