Higher versus lower dose of ibuprofen for treatment of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants

For the following analyses, the higher dosing regimen of ibuprofen was 20 mg/kg/day followed by ibuprofen 10 mg/kg/day for two doses compared with the standard-dose of ibuprofen 10 mg/kg/day followed by ibuprofen 5 mg/kg/day for two doses.

There was a decreased risk of failure to close a PDA with high-dose versus standard-dose of IV ibuprofen (3 studies 190 infants; RR 0.37, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.61; NNTB 4, 95% CI 3 to 7). Although neonatal morbidities including gastrointestinal and renal side effects were not significantly different, the analyses were underpowered to detect a difference. [6]