Prophylactic Indomethacin in extremely preterm infants: association with death or BPD and observed early serum creatinine levels

Abstract

Objectives: To identify the relationship between prophylactic indomethacin (PI) administration and (1) mortality and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) at 36-week postmenstrual age (PMA) (primary outcome), and (2) to evaluate for PI-associated acute kidney injury. Study design: Retrospective cohort investigation of 22–28 weeks gestation infants (N = 1167) who were admitted to Nationwide Children’s Hospital on postnatal days 0–1 between May 2009 and September 2017 and survived ≥24-h postnatal. The associations of PI treatment with mortality or BPD, and other secondary outcomes, were evaluated via multivariable robust-error-variance Poisson regression. Results: The adjusted risks of death or BPD (1.02, 95% CI: 0.83, 1.25), BPD (0.97, 95% CI: 0.77, 1.21), and death 1.33 (95% CI: 0.84, 2.10) by 36-week PMA were unchanged following PI treatment after multivariable adjustment. No changes in mean creatinine levels were detected in exposed versus unexposed infants to suggest PI-induced AKI. Conclusion: Prophylactic indomethacin treatment was unrelated to mortality or BPD outcomes.