Efficacy and Safety of Oral Versus Intravenous Ibuprofen for PDA Treatment in ELBW Infants

To determine whether oral or intravenous ibuprofen has a better or same efficacy and tolerance in closure of patent ductus arteriosis in extremely-low-birth-weight preterm infants.Seventy ELBW preterm infants with patent ductus arteriosis will be enrolled in this prospective-randomized study. Patients will receive either intravenous or oral ibuprofen at an initial dose of 10 mg/kg, followed by 5 mg/kg at 24 and 48 h. One of the following echocardiographic criteria of a duct size \>1.5 mm, a left atrium-to-aorta ratio \>1.5, left-to-right shunting of blood, end diastolic reversal of blood flow in the aorta, or poor cardiac function in addition signs of patent ductus arteriosis determined the need of ibuprofen treatment.