Inhaled nitric oxide therapy during the transport of neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension or severe hypoxic respiratory failure

Our aim was to determine whether starting inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) on critically ill neonates with severe hypoxemic respiratory failure and/or persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPH), at a referring hospital at the start of transport, decreases the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), lessens the number of hospital days and improves survival in comparison with those patients who were started on iNO only at the receiving facility. The study was a retrospective review of 94 charts of neonates that had iNO initiated by the transport team at a referring hospital or only at the tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the receiving hospital. Data collected included demographics, mode of transport, total number of hospital days, days on inhaled nitric oxide and ECMO use. Of the 94 patients, 88 were included. Of these, 60 were started on iNO at the referring facility (Field-iNO) and 28 were started at the receiving NICU (CHLA-iNO). All patients survived transport to the receiving NICU. Death rates and ECMO use were similar in both groups. Overall, patients who died were younger and had lower birth weights and Apgar scores. For all surviving patients who did not require ECMO, the length of total hospital stay (median days 22 versus 38, P = 0.018), and the length of the hospital stay at the receiving hospital (median days 18 versus 29, P = 0.006), were significantly shorter for the Field-iNO patients than for the CHLA-iNO patients, respectively. Earlier initiation of iNO may decrease length of hospital stay in surviving neonates with PPH not requiring ECMO.