Table 2 Randomized controlled trials comparing the effectiveness of oral paracetamol to oral ibuprofen in closing patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
Author Year | Number of patients | GA (weeks) | Mean postnatal age | Treatment dosage | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dang 2013 [23] | 160 | ≤ 34 | ≤ 14 days | Paracetamol: 15 mg/kg every 6 h for 3 days | Overall, PDA closure occurred in 65 patients (81.2 %) in the paracetamol group and in 63 patients (78.8 %) in the ibuprofen group (P = 0.693). |
Ibuprofen: 10 mg/kg followed by 5 mg/kg after 24 and 48 h | The rate of gastrointestinal bleeding and hyperbilirubinemia was significantly higher in the ibuprofen group with respect to the paracetamol group (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found for other major adverse events. | ||||
Oncel 2014 [24] | 90 | ≤ 30 | 48–96 h | Paracetamol: 15 mg/kg every 6 h for 3 days | After the first treatment course, the PDA closed in 29 (72.5 %) patients enrolled in the paracetamol group versus 31 (77.5 %) patients assigned to the ibuprofen group (P = 0.6). The cumulative closure rates after the second treatment course were high in both groups: only 1 patient (2.5 %) in the paracetamol group and 2 patients (5 %) in the ibuprofen group required surgical ligation. |
Ibuprofen: 10 mg/kg followed by 5 mg/kg after 24 and 48 h | Bilirubin and liver enzyme levels before and after each treatment course were not significantly different between groups. No patient showed oliguria. |