European journal of pediatrics
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Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) has been shown to improve oxygenation in severe persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). However, PPHN is often associated with various lung diseases. Thus, response to iNO may depend upon the aetiology of neonatal acute respiratory failure. ⋯ Conclusion, iNO improves the oxygenation in most newborns with severe hypoxaemic respiratory failure including preterm neonates. However, response to iNO is disease-specific. Furthermore, iNO when combined with adequate alveolar recruitment and limited barotrauma using exogenous surfactant and HFOV may obviate the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in many term infants.