Utility of Targeted Neonatal Echocardiography in the Management of Neonatal Illness

Objectives To describe the impact of targeted neonatal echocardiography on management of neonatal illness in a tertiary perinatal center neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive targeted neonatal echocardiographic studies that were performed over an 18‐month period in a regional perinatal center NICU in Canada. All studies were performed with a cardiovascular ultrasound machine and transducer and read on a workstation with storage and analysis software. Reporting was done on a standardized document, and any management change resulting from targeted neonatal echocardiography was documented. Results A total of 303 consecutive targeted neonatal echocardiographic studies were performed on 129 neonates. The mean gestational age ± SD was 27.8 ± 4.3 weeks (range, 23–41 weeks), and the mean birth weight ± SD was 1196 ± 197 g (range, 490– 4500 g). The median number of studies per neonate was 2 (range, 1–8), with most repeated studies for a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). The most common indication for echocardiography was assessment of a PDA (52.1%), followed by early global hemodynamic assessment of very low birth weight (16.2%) and pulmonary hypertension (12.2%). Of the 303 studies, 126 (41.5%) resulted in management changes. The contribution to management was significantly related to the timing of echocardiography. Around half of the echocardiographic examinations during first the week of life resulted in management changes, compared to 22% of studies after 1 week of age ( P = .002). Patent ductus arteriosus management accounted for almost half of the interventions. Conclusions Targeted neonatal echocardiography is a valuable tool in the NICU and can contribute substantially to hemodynamic management in the first week of life, PDA management in the first 2 weeks of life, and cases of hypotension or shock at any time during the hospital stay.