RT Journal
A1 Chávez GF, Cordero JF, Becerra JE
T1 PAtent ductus arteriosus, prematurity, and respiratory distress syndrome-reply
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 1989
FD June 16
VO 261
IS 23
SP 3410
OP 3410
DO 10.1001/jama.1989.03420230062021
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1989.03420230062021
AB In Reply. — 
    Dr Sissman raises an important point concerning the contribution of prematurity and respiratory distress syndrome to the overall rates of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). As we stated in our article, information routinely collected in the Birth Defects Monitoring Program during the study period was limited to a few sociodemographic variables. For this reason, our study was descriptive rather than analytic. The rates we reported for 1981 through 1986, therefore, were not stratified by variables such as maternal age, birth weight, or any other potential confounders. Dr Sissman states correctly that our rates of PDA were higher than in other reports because in the Birth Defects Monitoring Program an infant is identified with the code for PDA even if that infant was also premature. In our article, we stated that the high rate of PDA in blacks might reflect their high rate of prematurity.We reviewed the Birth