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Sivelestat treatment for acute respiratory distress syndrome in an infant

Shigekiyo Matsumoto1, Seigou Hidaka, Koji Goto

  • 1Department of Brain and Nerve Science and Department of Anesthesiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu, Oita, 879-5593, Japan.

Journal of Anesthesia
|May 16, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Sivelestat, an ALI treatment, showed promise in a 33-day-old infant with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) post-cardiac arrest. The drug was safe and improved lung function, suggesting a potential new therapy for infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric critical care medicine
  • Pulmonology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Cardiopulmonary arrest can lead to systemic inflammation, multiple organ failure, and acute lung injury (ALI).
  • Sivelestat is a known treatment for ALI associated with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), but its use in infants is not established.
  • Infantile acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) following hypoxic encephalopathy requires effective therapeutic strategies.

Observation:

  • A 33-day-old infant experienced hypoxic encephalopathy and ARDS after resuscitation from cardiopulmonary arrest.
  • Intravenous sivelestat was administered for 7 days.
  • The infant tolerated the treatment without adverse reactions.

Findings:

  • Chest radiograph showed diminished consolidations after sivelestat treatment.
  • Impaired oxygenation was markedly alleviated during the treatment period.
  • Sivelestat demonstrated potential efficacy in managing infantile ARDS/ALI.

Implications:

  • Intravenous sivelestat may represent a novel therapeutic approach for infants with ARDS/ALI.
  • Further research is needed to determine optimal indications, administration duration, and dosage for sivelestat in pediatric patients.
  • This case highlights the potential of sivelestat in managing severe lung injury in neonates.

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