Abstract
Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn (TTN) prolongs neonatal hospitalization and occasionally results in serious complications. The most widely accepted theory of the etiology of TTN is a delay in the absorption of fetal lung fluid. Furosemide has been shown to affect fluid dynamics in the lung. We hypothesized that a pharmacologically-induced diuresis of body water may reverse the mechanism of TTN and shorten the course of the illness. We designed a controlled, prospective trial of oral furosemide in infants with TTN. 50 consecutive infants presenting with the clinical and radiographic findings of TTN were randomly assigned to two groups. Infants in the treatment group received 2 mg/kg of oral furosemide at the time of diagnosis followed by a 1 mg/kg dose 12 hours later if the tachypnea (RR> 60) persisted. Infants in the control group received an equal volume of placebo. There were no significant differences in the prenatal and perinatal courses, nor in the demographic characteristics between the two groups. Although mean weight loss at discharge was similar in the two groups, the furosemide-treated group lost significantly more weight in the first 24 hours after birth (p<0.001). Compared to infants in the control group, the furosemide-treated infants demonstrated no statistically significant difference in the duration and severity of symptoms, nor in the duration of hospitalization. We conclude that oral furosemide, at the doses used in this study, does not alter the clinical course of TTN.
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Wiswell, T., Smith, F., Rawlings, J. et al. FAILURE OF FUROSEMIDE TO AFFECT THE CLINICAL COURSE OF TRANSIENT OF THE NEWBORN. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 356 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-01576
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-01576