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Pulmonary hypertension in bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Sara K Berkelhamer1, Karen K Mestan, Robin H Steinhorn

  • 1Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.

Seminars in Perinatology
|April 16, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) complicates neonatal respiratory diseases like bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), increasing BPD

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a serious complication of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in neonates.
  • PH significantly worsens the clinical course, morbidity, and mortality associated with BPD.
  • Up to 40% of infants with established BPD may develop PH.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of PH in neonates with BPD.
  • To highlight risk factors, diagnostic methods, and emerging treatments for BPD-associated PH.
  • To identify areas requiring further research in BPD-associated PH.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on PH in BPD.
  • Analysis of risk factors, including fetal growth restriction.
  • Evaluation of diagnostic tools, primarily echocardiography.
  • Assessment of current and emerging therapeutic strategies.

Main Results:

  • Fetal growth restriction is identified as a significant predictor of PH in neonates.
  • Echocardiography is the primary diagnostic tool for BPD-associated PH.
  • The use of pulmonary vasodilators is increasing, but long-term data are limited.

Conclusions:

  • PH is a critical concern in infants with BPD, necessitating further investigation.
  • Standardized screening and diagnostic techniques for BPD-associated PH are under development.
  • More research is needed on the long-term safety and efficacy of pulmonary vasodilator therapies in this population.

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