Ipratropium bromide for symptomatic preterm infants.

Twelve preterm infants, median gestational age 31.5 weeks, were entered into a randomised, placebo-controlled trial of bronchodilator therapy. Their postnatal age was a median of 17.5 months and all suffered from recurrent respiratory symptoms. The infants received either inhaled placebo or 40 micrograms of ipratropium bromide (active therapy) three times a day utilising a coffee cup as a spacer device. Each therapy was administered for 2 weeks. The symptom score during the active period was reduced by 59% compared to the placebo period (P less than 0.01) and this was associated with 38% improvement in lung function in the active period compared to a 20% change in functional residual capacity over the placebo period (P less than 0.01). We conclude inhaled ipratropium bromide appears to be an effective treatment for symptomatic infants at follow up.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes