Severity of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia and Neurodevelopmental Outcome at 2 and 5 Years Corrected Age

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Medicine
• Pediatric Neurology
• Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

• Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease affecting preterm infants.
• Neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) is a significant concern in survivors of prematurity.
• Longitudinal data on the evolving association between BPD severity and NDI are crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the association between BPD severity and NDI risk at 2 and 5 years corrected age.
• To determine if the association between BPD severity and NDI changes over time.
• To provide insights into long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for preterm infants with BPD.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of preterm infants (gestational age <30 weeks) surviving to 36 weeks postmenstrual age.
• Infants categorized by BPD severity (mild, moderate, severe).
• NDI defined by cognitive/motor deficits, cerebral palsy, or sensory impairments; assessed using multivariate logistic regression and mixed-model analysis.

Main Results:

• Higher BPD severity correlated with increased NDI risk compared to no BPD.
• A 5-fold increase in NDI risk was observed between 2 and 5 years corrected age across all BPD severity groups.
• The strength of the association between BPD severity and NDI risk did not change significantly over time.

Conclusions:

• Increased BPD severity is a significant risk factor for NDI at both 2 and 5 years corrected age.
• While the absolute incidence of NDI increased from 2 to 5 years, the relative risk associated with BPD severity remained consistent.
• These findings highlight the persistent impact of BPD severity on neurodevelopmental outcomes.