Postnatal causes and severity of persistent pulmonary Hypertension of Newborn

  • Muhammad Sohail Arshad Department of Paediatric Cardiology, The Children's Hospital & the Institute of Child Health Multan.
  • Mudasser Adnan Department of Pediatric Cardiology, The Children's Hospital & the Institute of Child Health Multan.
  • Hafiz Muhammad Anwar-ul-Haq Children’s Hospital & ICH, Multan
  • Arif Zulqarnain Department of Paeds Cardiology, The children hospital and the institute of Child health Multan.
Keywords: Birth asphyxia, Meconium aspiration syndrome, Newborn, Persistent pulmonary hypertension, Respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract

Background & Objective: Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is described as severe respiratory failure along with hypoxaemia. PPHN is known to be linked with high morbidity and mortality around the world. This study was planned to determine the postnatal causes and assess the severity of persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn in babies presenting to the Children’s Hospital, Multan.

Methods: This observational study was conducted at the Department of Paediatric Cardiology, The Children Hospital &Institute of Child Health, Multan, Pakistan from July to December 2019. A total of 122 confirmed cases of PPHN admitted having gestational age above 34 weeks were enrolled. Demographic data of the newborns was recorded along with maternal medical history, pregnancy status and postnatal causes of PPHN. Severity of PPHN was also recorded.

Results: Out of a total of 122 cases of PPHN, 81 (66.3%) were male. Majority, 78 (64.0%) had gestational age above 37 weeks. Mode of delivery as cesarean section was noted in 70 (57.4%). Meconium aspiration syndrome 52 (42.6%), birth asphyxia 48 (39.3%), respiratory distress syndrome 23 (18.8%) and sepsis 33 (27.0%) were found to be the commonest causes of PPHN. Severe PPHN was found to be the most frequent, noted among 63 (51.6%) while Moderate PPHN was observed in 40 (32.8%) and Mild PPHN in 19 (15.6%). Morality was noted among 26 (21.3%) of cases.

Conclusion: Meconium aspiration syndrome, birth asphyxia and respiratory distress syndrome were the commonest postnatal causes of PPHN. Severe PPHN was found to be the most frequent form of PPHN.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.5.2218

How to cite this:
Arshad MS, Adnan M, Anwar-ul-Haq HM, Zulqarnain A. Postnatal causes and severity of persistent pulmonary Hypertension of Newborn. Pak J Med Sci. 2021;37(5):1387-1391. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.5.2218

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Author Biographies

Muhammad Sohail Arshad, Department of Paediatric Cardiology, The Children's Hospital & the Institute of Child Health Multan.

MBBS,  FCPS (Paeds Medicine), FCPS (Paeds Cardiology)

Head of Department of Paediatric Cardiology, The Children's Hospital & the Institute of Child Health Multan.

 

Mudasser Adnan, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, The Children's Hospital & the Institute of Child Health Multan.

MBBS, FCPS (Paeds Medicine)

Senior Registrar of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, The Children's Hospital & the Institute of Child Health Multan.

 

Arif Zulqarnain, Department of Paeds Cardiology, The children hospital and the institute of Child health Multan.

 MBBS. FCPS (Paeds Medicine ), Fellow in Paeds Cardiology.

Senior Registrar

Department of Paeds Cardiology, The children hospital and the institute of Child health Multan.

 

Published
2021-07-15
How to Cite
Arshad, M. S., Adnan, M., Anwar-ul-Haq, H. M., & Zulqarnain, A. (2021). Postnatal causes and severity of persistent pulmonary Hypertension of Newborn. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 37(5). https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.5.2218