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Purpose: To evaluate the effect of oral sildenafil therapy in neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 32 neonates ≥35 weeks' gestation and fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO 2 ) 1.0 with PPHN. The first dose (0.5 mg/kg) of oral sildenafil was started and 1 mg/kg was given every 6 hour thereafter. Mean airway pressure (MAP), FiO 2 , oxygenation index (OI), mean arterial blood pressure (MBP) were documented before and 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after sildenafil. For adverse effects, gastrointestinal symptoms, brain ultrasound, funduscopy and auditory brainstem response results were evaluated. Results:The underlying diseases of PPHN (n=32) were meconium aspiration syndrome (n=9), respiratory distress syndrome (n=8), pneumonia (n=3), and idiopathic (n=12). Thirty-one neonates survived; 3 neonates were transferred for inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) and all of them survived. In 28 infants, FiO 2 and OI improved significantly by 6 hours and MAP improved significantly by 48 hours after initiation of sildenafil. There were no clinically significant adverse effects of sildenafil. Conclusion: Sildenafil may be an effective and safe agent for near-term and term neonates with PPHN, providing significant improvement in oxygenation, and thus may be especially useful in the treatment of PPHN in hospitals without iNO.

This study compares the characteristics of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) according to hospitalization frequency due to Acute Exacerbation (AE) using a retrospective medical records review. Methods: From August to October 2017, COPD patients who had visited the chonnam national university hospital were classified into three groups: (1) not hospitalization (n=115), (2) hospitalized once owing to AE (n=79) and (3) hospitalized twice or more owing to AE (n=47), and their medical records were reviewed. Data were analyzed using x 2 , Kruskal Wallis, and Mann-Whitney tests, and logistic regression. Results: Home oxygen therapy, metered dose inhaler use, long-acting beta2-agonist, and Inhaled Corticosteroids (ICS) were used most in patients who were hospitalized twice or more. Symptoms of dyspnea and fever, prescription of phosphodiesterase-4 and oral corticosteroid were the least frequent in the patients who were not hospitalized, and they had the best pulmonary function test results. Home oxygen therapy (Odds Ratio [OR]=9.59, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=2.53~36.46), and prescribed ICS (OR=2.77, 95% CI=1.14~6.77) and phosphodiesterase-4 (OR=5.35, 95% CI=1.69~16.93) were significantly associated with COPD readmission. For patients who were hospitalized once, SpO2 (p=.016), the frequency of positive pressure ventilation therapy (p=.023) and monitoring of oxygen saturation in nursing activities (p=.022) were higher than that of patients who were hospitalized twice or more. There was no significant difference in discharge education between the two hospitalized groups. Conclusion: Regardless of the severity of illness, presence of respiratory symptoms, drug prescribed, or admission frequency, there were no differences in nursing activities and discharge education.