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Recombinant Human Deoxyribonuclease Shortens Ventilation Time in Young, Mechanically Ventilated Children
Author(s) -
Riethmueller Joachim,
BorthBruhns Thomas,
Kumpf Matthias,
Vonthein Reinhard,
Wiskirchen Jakub,
Stern Martin,
Hofbeck Michael,
Baden Winfried
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.20298
Subject(s) - medicine , anesthesia , mechanical ventilation , ventilation (architecture) , pediatric intensive care unit , odds ratio , placebo , atelectasis , intensive care unit , intensive care medicine , lung , mechanical engineering , alternative medicine , pathology , engineering
Recombinant human deoxyribonuclease I (dornase alfa) is currently used as an inhaled mucoactive agent in the treatment of cystic fibrosis. In a randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind clinical study in 100 infants, we investigated whether the therapeutic use of dornase alfa can be extended to ventilated, fluid‐restricted children to reduce reintubation rate, ventilation duration, pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) stay, and ventilation complications. While reintubation rates were similar for dornase alfa 7% vs. placebo 9% (odds ratio, 0.77; confidence interval, 0.11–4.9), the incidence of atelectasis (6 vs. 17, respectively; P ‐value 0.051), median ventilation time (2.2 vs. 3.4 days, respectively; P ‐value 0.043), median length of PICU stay (7 vs. 8 days, respectively; P ‐value 0.051), and mean costs (€4,830 vs. €6,320, respectively) were lower in the dornase alfa group. No adverse effects were observed, even in critically ill patients. We found that dornase alfa was beneficial and safe. Our findings also indicate that dornase alfa is possibly of value from the first day of mechanical ventilation onward, particularly when longer ventilation (>3 days) is expected in fluid‐restricted children after cardiac surgery. Pediatr Pulmonol. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.