Giving premature babies a common painkiller too early can actually double their risk of dying.
April 3, 2026
Original Paper
Ibuprofen Timing for Symptomatic Patent Ductus Arteriosus and Risk of Mortality and Intestinal Complications in Extremely Preterm Infants: a retrospective cohort study
SSRN · 6504612
The Takeaway
Doctors often use ibuprofen to treat a heart issue in preemies, but doing so within the first three days of life is linked to a massive spike in mortality and gut rupture. This discovery inverts the standard 'earlier is better' logic for newborn intensive care.
From the abstract
Background: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is common in extremely preterm infants (EPIs) and is frequently managed with cyclooxygenase inhibitors such as ibuprofen. However, the optimal postnatal timing of ibuprofen initiation, balancing potential benefits and harms, remains uncertain. <div> <br> </div> <div> Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 1,124 EPIs with symptomatic PDA from the Korean Neonatal Network, categorised by day of life (DOL) of ibuprofen initiation. The primary out