Nitric oxide administration using an oxygen hood: a pilot trial.

Abstract

We have shown earlier that inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) administered by oxygen hood reduces pulmonary hypertension in an animal model (J Perinatol 2002; 22:50-6). Our objective in this study was to determine feasibility of iNO by oxygen hood in neonates with elevated alveolar-arterial oxygen gradients (A-aDO(2)).Masked randomized controlled pilot trial. Inclusion criteria were: gestation>or=34 weeks, age100 torr, while oxygenation was unchanged in the controls. Methemoglobinemia and other adverse effects were not noted in any infant. Environmental levels of NO and NO(2) were minimal (0.3 m from the hood.Administration of iNO by oxygen hood is feasible. Larger randomized controlled trials are required to measure the efficacy and determine an appropriate target population for this technique.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00041548.