Hemodynamic assessment of the patent ductus arteriosus: Beyond ultrasound

Assessment and management of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in premature infants remains problematic. The more immature the infant, the more likely a PDA is to be present, due to lower spontaneous PDA closure rates. Clinicians now recognize that not all PDAs require treatment and that selection of the group of infants with a more hemodynamically relevant PDA, often manifesting as an increasing systemic-to-pulmonary shunt, is increasingly important. Ultrasound is the mainstay of diagnosis and physiological assessment of the PDA; however, there are other methodologies used to assess hemodynamic importance of the PDA. These range from assessment of clinical signs through biomarkers and finally to physiological assessment of the end-organ effect of the PDA, using methods such as cerebral Doppler or near infra-red spectroscopy. Extended assessment of a PDA's physiological effect may lead to a more individualized approach to PDA treatment.