Abstract:
The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of ibuprofen suspension in
patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) prophylaxis and to determine the pharmacokinetic
parameters of ibuprofen suspension in premature infants. During the ten-month-duration
of the study, forty-two babies who fit our inclusion criteria were randomized to the
ibuprofen (n = 22) or control group (n = 20) with a mean gestational age (GA) and birth
weight (BW) of 30.64 ± 1.76 weeks, 1279.64 ± 80.33 grams and 30.20 ± 2.14 weeks,
1214.50 ± 217.52 grams, respectively. Clinical evaluation, echocardiogram and laboratory
screening were performed in both groups. Ibuprofen (10 mg/kg body weight) and placebo
suspension were given to the study and control groups respectively. Blood samples were
drawn for serum ibuprofen level determination before the drug administration, at 2, 4, 8,
10, 12, 14 and 18 hours after the first dose, 30 minutes before and 8 hours after the second
and third dose. Echocardiogram was performed at day 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28. The incidence
of PDA at day 3 in the ibuprofen group was significantly lower than the one in the control
group (95.45% vs 65.00%; p=0.018). There were no significant differences in renal,
hematological and gastrointestinal side effects between the two groups, although the
gastrointestinal irritation tended to be higher in the ibuprofen group. The pharmacokinetic
parameters in the ibuprofen group were calculated from 17 subjects by using the Win
Nonlin® program. There were large interindividual variabilities for Vd/F (0.3175 l/kg), Ka
(0.2035 hr-1), Ke (0.0244 hr-1), AUC (1808.20 l/hr), T1/2 (28.42 hrs), tmax (10.89 hrs), and
Cmax (31.73 mcg/ml). There were no significant differences between the observed and
predicted concentrations. The sustained Cmax level above 31.73 mcg/ml after the first dose
might be responsible for low PDA incidence in the ibuprofen group (95.45%); however,
the exact level of ibuprofen for PDA closure needs more study. In conclusion, preterm
infants who received ibuprofen suspension for PDA prophylaxis had a statistically
significantly lower incidence of PDA than ones who received a placebo