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Bacterial Colonization within the First Six Weeks of Life and Pulmonary Outcome in Preterm Infants <1000 g

Tina Lauer1, Judith Behnke1, Frank Oehmke2

  • 1Department of General Pediatrics and Neonatology, Justus-Liebig-University, Universities of Gießen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Feulgenstrasse 12, D-35392 Gießen, Germany.

Journal of Clinical Medicine
|July 19, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Bacterial colonization of the upper airway, but not the gut, is linked to moderate/severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants. This finding highlights the upper airway

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common complication in preterm infants, influenced by infections and respiratory support.
  • Previous research suggested a link between lung bacterial colonization and BPD in mechanically ventilated infants.
  • The role of upper airway and gastrointestinal colonization in BPD development requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between bacterial colonization of the upper airway and gastrointestinal tract and the development of moderate/severe BPD.
  • To analyze the impact of specific bacterial characteristics (Gram response, pathogenic potential) on BPD outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of nasopharyngeal and anal swabs from 102 preterm infants (<1000 g) over the first 6 weeks of life.
  • Weekly sample collection and analysis to track bacterial colonization patterns.
  • Statistical analysis (analyses of deviance) accounting for potential confounders.

Main Results:

  • Bacterial colonization predominantly occurred between weeks 2 and 6 of life.
  • Upper airway colonization with potentially pathogenic bacteria was significantly associated with moderate/severe BPD (p = 0.0043).
  • No significant association was found between gastrointestinal colonization or Gram response and BPD.

Conclusions:

  • Specific upper airway bacterial colonization poses a risk factor for developing moderate/severe BPD in preterm infants.
  • The findings underscore the importance of the microbial axis in pulmonary health outcomes.
  • Further studies on upper airway colonization are recommended to explore its impact on pulmonary outcomes in preterm infants.

Keywords:
bacterial colonizationbronchopulmonary dysplasiagram-negative bacteriagutlungpathogenicpreterm infantupper airway

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