Intravenous indomethacin therapy in infants with a patent ductus arteriosus complicating other congenital heart defects.

In the present study, 0.2-0.6 mg/kg (0.4+/-0.2, mean +/- standard deviation) indomethacin was administered intravenously to close a patent ductus arteriosus in 13 infants with co-existing congenital heart defects whose ages ranged from 3 to 48 (14+/-14) days. All of them were hemodynamically ductus-independent and symptomatic. Echocardiography demonstrated that the ductus had closed in 8 infants, aged 3-33 (12+/-10) days (responders), but had not closed in 5 infants aged 6-48 (19 +/-19) days (non-responders). There was no significant difference between the responders and non-responders in their age, body weight, minimal diameter of the duct, dose of indomethacin, gestational age, birthweight, or Apgar score. One possible major complication might be associated with indomethacin. However, intravenous indomethacin should be considered prior to surgical ligation as one option for infants with a symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus complicated by other congenital heart defects.