[Impact of inhaled NO on developing lung and brain]

• Abstract: With the advent of prenatal steroids, postnatal exogenous surfactant and less aggressive respiratory support, premature infants can develop chronic lung disease without even acute respiratory distress. This "new bronchopulmonary dysplasia" could be the result of impaired postnatal growth. Several experimental studies have suggested a possible role of the vascular endothelial growth factor/nitric oxide (VEGF/NO) pathway in restoring pulmonary angiogenesis and enhancing distal lung growth. The results of the clinical studies are, however, inconclusive, and it is currently unclear which subsets of premature infants might benefit from inhaled nitric oxide. Besides, severe intracranial haemorrhage and/or cystic periventricular leukomalacia may affect the most immature babies, many of whom are spared from severe initial respiratory disease. Recently, inhaled nitric oxide was shown to significantly decrease the incidence of these neurological events, and to improve the long-term outcome in a few clinical trials. At times neuroprotective, at times neurotoxic, nitric oxide is capable of divergent effects depending upon the extent of cerebral damage, the redox state of the cell, and the experimental model used. Recently, inhaled nitric oxide had recognized to have dramatic remote effects including angiogenesis and maturation on the developing brain in rodent pups. Therefore, the developmental consequences of inhaled NO should be further investigated to ensure its safety on the developing brain and to test its potential neurprotective effect.
• Authors: O Baud, P Olivier, G Vottier, H Pham, J-C Mercier, G Loron (Affiliation: Service de réanimation et pédiatrie néonatales, INSERM AVENIR R05230HS, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France. olivier.baud at rdb.aphp.fr)
• Journal: Archives de pédiatrie : organe officiel de la Sociéte française de pédiatrie (Arch Pediatr) Vol. 16 Suppl 1 Pg. S1-8 (Sep 2009) ISSN: 1769-664X [Electronic] France
• Vernacular Title: Effet du NO inhalé sur le poumon et le cerveau en développement.
• PMID: 19836663 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Bronchodilator Agents
• Neuroprotective Agents
• Nitric Oxide

Topics

• Administration, Inhalation
• Brain (drug effects, growth & development)
• Bronchodilator Agents (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Infant, Newborn
• Infant, Premature
• Infant, Premature, Diseases (drug therapy)
• Lung (drug effects, growth & development)
• Lung Diseases (drug therapy)
• Neuroprotective Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Nitric Oxide (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Respiratory Insufficiency (drug therapy)
• Safety