Safety of Withdrawing Inhaled Nitric Oxide Therapy in Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn

Abstract

For infants classified as treatment successes, a dose response between the I-NO dose and decrease in PaO(2) after discontinuing I-NO was found. A reduction in I-NO to 1 ppm before discontinuation of the drug seems to minimize the decrease in PaO(2) seen. For infants failing treatment, discontinuation of I-NO could pose a life-threatening reduction in oxygenation should extracorporeal membrane oxygenation not be readily available or I-NO cannot be continued on transport.