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Growth failure in bronchopulmonary dysplasia: elevated metabolic rates and pulmonary mechanics

S I Kurzner1, M Garg, D B Bautista

  • 1Division of Neonatology and Pediatric Pulmonology, Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, CA 90027.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|January 1, 1988
PubMed

Insights

Infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) experiencing growth failure have significantly higher resting oxygen consumption (Vo2). This elevated Vo2, linked to increased work of breathing, suggests complex metabolic demands contribute to poor growth in BPD infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neonatology
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Growth failure is a significant complication in infants diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
  • The underlying causes of growth failure in BPD infants remain incompletely understood.
  • This study focuses on BPD infants without other confounding medical conditions affecting growth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the metabolic demands, specifically resting oxygen consumption (Vo2), in infants with BPD and growth failure.
  • To explore the relationship between Vo2, pulmonary mechanics, and growth parameters in BPD.
  • To identify potential mechanisms contributing to growth failure in BPD.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 13 infants with BPD at 6 months' corrected age, categorized by growth failure (height/weight <10th percentile).
  • Measured resting oxygen consumption (Vo2), Pao2, airway resistance, specific airway conductance, and dynamic pulmonary compliance (Cdyn) using body plethysmography.
  • Compared measurements between BPD infants with and without growth failure, and with healthy controls.

Main Results:

  • Infants with BPD and growth failure exhibited markedly elevated Vo2 compared to controls and BPD infants with normal growth.
  • A significant inverse correlation was observed between Vo2 and body weight in BPD infants.
  • While Vo2 was inversely related to dynamic pulmonary compliance (Cdyn), the work of breathing only partially accounted for the increased metabolic demands.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated metabolic demands, indicated by increased Vo2, are associated with growth failure in infants with BPD.
  • Increased work of breathing contributes to these heightened metabolic demands, but other factors likely play a role.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate all mechanisms driving metabolic expenditure and growth failure in BPD.

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