Neurodevelopmental outcome following persistent pulmonary hypertension of the neonate.

The neurodevelopmental status of 12 children with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) was examined. All had neonatal documentation of PPHN by echocardiogram, and all were ventilated at least 72 hours. The mean age at follow-up was 20 months (range, 12-28). Five of the 12 subjects were normal at follow-up, three were felt to be suspect but not clearly abnormal, and four had neurodevelopmental abnormalities, including three with sensorineural hearing impairment (25 per cent incidence in this study). These findings represent a concerning frequency of neurodevelopmental dysfunction and support early routine hearing evaluation in this unique subgroup of neonatal intensive care unit survivors.