A Big Boost For The Littlest Babies

Every year about 60,000 babies are born in the U.S. weighing less than 3.3 lbs. and at risk of chronic lung disease. University of Chicago researchers reported last week that the outlook for such neonates could be improved with low doses of nitric oxide. In a study of 207 preemies, doctors gave half the group nitric oxide with their oxygen; the other half got the standard stuff. While 85% survived in the nitric oxide group, only 78% of the controls did. Of the nitric oxide infants, 61% were free of lung disease; that was true of 47% of the oxygen-only group. Nitric oxide babies got off ventilators and went home faster.