Background and aims. Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) is very common among preterm neonates. The effects of PDA and its treatment on neurodevelopment, however, are still controversial. This study aimed to evaluate whether PDA treatment can influence neurodevelopmental trajectories in preterm born infants up to 24 months corrected age (ca).

Methods. 368 infants (gestational age <32 weeks and/or birth weight <1500 g) admitted to S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital NICU (Bologna, Italy) between 2005 and 2015 were included. Based on PDA closure modality, the infants were split into 3 groups: no PDA (noPDA, n=268), pharmacological PDA closure (PDA_P, n=73) and surgical PDA ligation (PDA_L, n=27). Psychomotor outcomes were evaluated at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months ca using the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales (GMDS). The neurodevelopmental trajectories of the 3 groups were analyzed by RM-ANOVA.

Results. The neurodevelopmental trajectories differed significantly among the 3 groups (Figure 1), with lower General Quotient and subscales (Locomotor, Personal-Social, Hearing and Speech, Eye and Hand Coordination, Performance) scores in PDA_L compared to noPDA and PDA_P (p=.001). Consistently, PDA_L showed a significantly higher prevalence of psychomotor impairment (n=10, 37%, p=.009) compared to PDA_P (n=4, 5%) and noPDA (n=29, 11%).

Conclusions. The modality of PDA closure significantly influences the neuro-developmental trajectories of preterm-born infants during the first 24 months, with lower developmental scores and higher rates of psychomotor impairment observed in those undergone surgical ligations. However, the influence of other neonatal clinical characteristics and outcomes on the observed results needs to be evaluated, and further targeted studies are required to confirm these preliminary data.

0141 - IS SURGICAL PDA CLOSURE A RISK FACTOR FOR PSYCHOMOTOR IMPAIRMENT AT 24 MONTHS CORRECTED AGE IN VLBW PRETERM INFANTS?