In-hospital outcomes of early versus late transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants

BackgroundTranscatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in small, premature infants is increasingly performed in the contemporary practice. Data regarding optimal timing of PDA closure are scarce. We therefore decided to compare morbidity and mortality of early and late device closure in preterm infants.MethodsHospitalizations of 166,583 newborn infants diagnosed with PDA were identified from the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) in 2009, 2012, 2016, and 2019. Of these, 299 preterm infants (gestational age (GA) ≤32 weeks, birth weight <1500 grams) underwent percutaneous PDA closure. Characteristics and periprocedural outcomes were compared between early (≤30 days) (<i>n</i> = 120) and late PDA closure (>30 days) (<i>n</i> = 179).ResultsMean age (±standard deviation) for early PDA closure was 18.6 days ± 7 and 67.3 days ± 36.5 in late PDA closure. Comorbidities including respiratory distress syndrome/bronchopulmonary dysplasia, heart failure, and pulmonary hypertension were comparable between the two groups. There was no difference in mortality or referral for surgical ligation between early and late closure. Postprocedural vascular complications were low, but higher in patients with early PDA closure (3.3% vs 0%; <i>p</i> = 0.025). While the total length of hospital stay was longer in late PDA closure group (121.1 days ± 51.7 vs 81.5 days ± 48.8; <i>p</i> = <0.01), postprocedural length of stay was paradoxically longer in the early closure group (69 days ± 43.6 vs 57.5 days ± 43, <i>p</i> = 0.03).ConclusionThere was no statistical difference in in-hospital mortality; however, there is a trend toward higher mortality in the early closure group. Major periprocedural complications are comparable between early and late PDA closure, except vascular complications that were higher with early PDA closure.