Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 13, 2025
Monitoring Lung Function with Electrical Impedance Tomography in the Intensive Care Unit
Published on: September 6, 2024
Esophageal impedance baseline in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: A pilot study
Stefano Nobile1, Paolo Marchionni2, Fabio Meneghin3
1Department of Woman, Child and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Insights
Preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) show lower esophageal impedance baseline values (BI), indicating inflammation. BPD and chronological age are key predictors of BI in these vulnerable infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease in preterm infants.
- Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is a common complication associated with BPD.
- Esophageal impedance baseline values (BI) can reflect esophageal mucosal inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare BI levels in preterm infants with and without BPD.
- To identify predictors of BI in preterm infants, particularly those with BPD.
- To investigate the relationship between BPD, GER, and esophageal inflammation.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective pilot study of infants born <32 weeks gestational age (GA).
- Esophageal multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII)-pH monitoring was performed.
- Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to compare groups and identify predictors.
Main Results:
- Infants with BPD had significantly lower BI compared to non-BPD infants (2050 vs. 2574 ohms).
- BPD was associated with lower BI (B = -793.4, p < 0.001) in multivariate analysis.
- Increasing chronological age was positively associated with BI (B = 9.3, p = 0.013).
Conclusions:
- Preterm infants with BPD exhibit significantly lower esophageal BI, suggesting increased mucosal inflammation.
- Both BPD and chronological age are significant predictors of BI.
- In the most immature infants (<29 weeks GA), BPD was the sole predictor of lower BI.
Background:
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) may induce gastroesophageal reflux (GER). Esophageal impedance baseline values (BI) reflect mucosal inflammation. Our aim was to evaluate BI levels in preterm infants with BPD compared with those without BPD and to identify BI predictors.
Methods:
This is a retrospective pilot study including infants born <32 weeks' gestational age (GA) who underwent esophageal multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII)-pH. Univariate/multivariate analysis were performed to compare data between BPD and non-BPD infants and to identify BI predictors. A subgroup analysis was performed in infants born <29 weeks' GA, at highest risk for BPD.
Results:
Ninety-seven patients (median GA 285/7 weeks, mean postnatal age 49 days, 29 with BPD), were studied. BPD infants had significantly lower birth weight compared with non-BPD infants (750 vs. 1275 g), were more immature (274/7 vs. 290/7 weeks GA), were older at MII-pH (79 vs. 38 days) and received less fluids during MII-pH (147 vs. 161 ml/kg/day). The same findings were found in the group of 53 infants born <29 weeks. BPD versus non-BPD infants had significantly lower BI (2050 vs. 2574 ohm, p = 0.007) (<1000 ohm in five BPD infants vs. one non-BPD) whereas the other MII-pH parameters were not significantly different. Multiple regression analysis found that increasing chronological age was positively associated with BI (B = 9.3, p = 0.013) whereas BPD was associated with lower BI (B = -793.4, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
BPD versus non-BPD infants had significantly lower BI despite similar MII-pH data. BPD and chronological age predicted BI, whereas only BPD predicted BI in the most immature infants.
