A 5-year survey of nitric oxide use in a pediatric intensive care unit

The authors retrospectively reviewed their experience with nitric oxide (NO) in a pediatric ICU. Given its cost ($3000/d), ongoing evaluations are required to ensure its effective use and avoid inappropriate applications. NO use included 4 categories: (1) hypoxemic respiratory failure, (2) pulmonary hypertension following surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD), (3) intraoperatively for surgical procedures such BT shunt placement or 1-lung ventilation, and (4) during ECMO. In the 19 patients with respiratory failure, NO resulted in an increase in oxygenation in 15 of 19 patients (Pao2/Fio2 ratio increased from 83 +/- 60 mm Hg to 188 +/- 105 mm Hg, P = 0.0007). In 4 patients, NO did not improve oxygenation. The 15 patients that responded to NO survived, whereas the 4 patients who did not respond died (P = 0.0003). NO was used to treat pulmonary hypertension in 19 patients following cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and surgery for CHD. In 13 of 19 patients, a high pulmonary artery (PA) pressure was documented by direct measurement with a needle inserted into the PA while the chest was open (n = 9) or a postoperative transthoracic PA catheter (n = 4). NO resulted in a decrease in the PA pressure in 9 of 13 patients (37 +/- 5 mm Hg to 21 +/- 3 mm Hg, P < 0.0001). In the one patient in whom NO did not lower intraoperative PA pressure, it was not possible to wean from CPB. For the 10 patients in whom NO was started in the PICU, 4 had PA catheters in place and documented elevated PA pressure. NO resulted in a significant decrease in the PA pressure in only 1 of these 4 patients. The survival of responders was 9 of 9 versus 1 of 4 for nonresponders (P = 0.014). No significant adverse effects requiring therapy other than decreasing the inhaled NO concentration were noted. Potential interventions and practices to limit the unwarranted use of this costly agent are discussed.