Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Full-Term and Nearly Full-Term Infants with Hypoxic Respiratory Failure

Hypoxic respiratory failure in neonates born at or near term (at >34 weeks' gestation) may be caused by conditions such as primary persistent pulmonary hypertension, respiratory distress syndrome, aspiration of meconium, pneumonia or sepsis, and congenital diaphragmatic hernia. 1 , 2 Conventional therapy, short of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, involves support with oxygen, mechanical ventilation, and the induction of alkalosis, neuromuscular blockade, and sedation. 3 – 6 None of these therapies have been found to reduce mortality or the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. To date, selective pulmonary vasodilators free of systemic side effects have not been studied in large trials of neonates. 7 Nitric oxide, . . .