High-Humidity Care May Prevent the Development of Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Premature Infants

Recently, the role of a rapid increase in serum osmolality in the inhibition of postnatal ductal closure has garnered attention. This study evaluated the efficacy of high-humidity care in preventing the onset of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in extremely premature infants.

The high-humidity group (HHG) comprised 28 infants (24⁰to 27⁶weeks gestational age) recruited prospectively within 6 h after birth between July 2019 and September 2021; these infants were cared for in 90% humidity for the first 72 h of life. The incidence of PDA within the first 7 days of life and the rate of increase in serum sodium concentrations were compared between the HHG and a conventionally managed historical control group (CG; 29 infants born in 2016-2017). Twelve (43%) infants in the HHG and 22 (76%) in the CG developed PDA (P=0.016). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that high-humidity care was effective in reducing the incidence of PDA onset (odds ratio 0.265; 95% confidence interval 0.078-0.907). The rate of increase in serum sodium concentrations was significantly lower in the HHG than CG (median 0.29 [interquartile range 0.21-0.39] vs. 0.46 [interquartile range 0.32-0.62] mEq/L/h, respectively; P<0.001).

High-humidity care for the first 72 h of life may help reduce the onset of PDA in extremely preterm infants by avoiding rapid increases in serum sodium concentrations.