Table 1.
Individual patient characteristics and response to paracetamol treatment
| Case | Gestation (weeks) |
Birth weight (g) |
Day of treatment |
Corrected gestation (weeks) |
Respiratory support at start of treatment |
PDA diameter (mm) |
Enteral feeds |
Days of treatment |
Previous NSAID use |
Contraindication to NSAIDs |
PDA response | PDA ligation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short course of oral paracetamol | ||||||||||||
| 1 | 24 5/7 | 640 | 17 | 27 1/7 | Ventilated | 2.5 | Full | 2 | None | Renal failure | No change | Yes |
| 2 | 25 6/7 | 750 | 25 | 29 2/7 | Ventilated | 3.3 | Full | 2 | Indomethacin | None | No change | Yes |
| 3 | 25 0/7 | 790 | 16 | 26 2/7 | Ventilated | 3.0 | Full | 2 | Indomethacin | None | No change | Yes |
| 4 | 25 0/7 | 600 | 14 | 27 0/7 | Ventilated | 2.1 | Full | 2 | Indomethacin | None | No change | Yes |
| 5 | 25 3/7 | 740 | 56 | 33 3/7 | CPAP | 2.6 | Full | 2 | Indomethacin | None | No change | Yes |
| Long course of oral paracetamol | ||||||||||||
| 6 | 26 3/7 | 1,170 | 30 | 30 5/7 | CPAP | 3.2 | Full | 7 | Indomethacin | None | Restriction | No |
| 7 | 24 0/7 | 840 | 30 | 28 2/7 | Ventilated | 2.4 | Full | 7 | Indomethacin | None | Restriction | No |
| 8 | 25 1/7 | 890 | 8 | 26 2/7 | Ventilated | 2.4 | Full | 7 | None | Renal Failure | Closure | No |
| 9 | 25 2/7 | 770 | 26 | 29 0/7 | CPAP | 2.4 | Full | 7 | Indomethacin | None | Restriction | No |
| 10 | 25 2/7 | 700 | 26 | 29 0/7 | CPAP | 2.2 | Full | 7 | Indomethacin | None | Restriction | No |
| 11 | 25 4/7 | 1,050 | 25 | 29 1/7 | Ventilation | 2.0 | Full | 7 | Indomethacin | None | No change | Yes |
| 12 | 25 2/7 | 1,080 | 35 | 30 2/7 | CPAP | 2.3 | Full | 7 | Indomethacin | None | Restriction | No |
| Intravenous paracetamol | ||||||||||||
| 13 | 28 1/7 | 1,200 | 8 | 29 2/7 | Ventilated | 3.8 | Minimal | 2 | None | Severe IVH | Closure | No |
| 14 | 25 2/7 | 790 | 18 | 28 0/7 | Ventilated | 2.7 | Full | 2 | Ibuprofen | None | Closure | No |
| 15 | 26 6/7 | 965 | 41 | 32 5/7 | Ventilated | 5.1 | 0 | 5 | Ibuprofen | NEC/perforation | Closure | No |
| 16 | 27 2/7 | 540 | 3 | 27 5/7 | Ventilated | 3.7 | 0 | 2 | None | IUGR | Closure | No |
| 17 | 26 0/7 | 710 | 27 | 29 6/7 | Ventilated | 3.3 | Full | 2 | Ibuprofen | None | Restriction | No |
| 18 | 24 2/7 | 530 | 18 | 26 6/7 | Ventilated | 3.0 | Full | 5 | Ibuprofen | None | Restriction | No |
| 19 | 26 6/7 | 545 | 26 | 30 1/7 | Ventilated | 3.4 | Full | 3 | Ibuprofen | None | Restriction | No |
| 20 | 28 2/7 | 1,000 | 9 | 29 3/7 | Ventilated | 4.4 | 0 | 6 | Ibuprofen | NEC | Closure | No |
| 21 | 25 5/7 | 810 | 15 | 27 5/7 | Ventilated | 4.2 | 0 | 6 | None | Perforation | Restriction | No |
Full feeds are defined as an enteral intake >120 ml/kg/d. Minimal feeds are defined as <30 ml/kg/d. Each day of paracetamol treatment comprised 60 mg/kg/d in four divided doses.
CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; IUGR, intrauterine growth restriction; IVH, intraventricular hemorrhage; NEC, necrotizing enterocolitis; NSAID, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; PDA, patent ductus arteriosus.