[Persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborn infants (author's transl)]

Three cases of persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborn infants are reported. One patient developed this syndrome following a normal pregnancy and uneventful delivery, whilst the others had a history of fetal or perinatal distress. Cardiac catheterization showed pulmonary hypertension in two cases in the absence of cardiac or pulmonary disease or metabolic disorders; one of these babies died unexpectedly following initial improvement. The second infant died from massive cardiac failure before cardiac catheterization could be carried out. The surviving infant was reinvestigated at the age of 7 months and showed normal pulmonary pressure and no evidence of cardiac disease. Aetiology, haemodynamics and clinical picture of this syndrome are discussed in relation to the varying clinical features manifested by our patients and the course taken.