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Relationship between thyroid hormones and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in extremely and very preterm infants

Yizhe Ma1, Guihua Liu1, Hu Li1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Jiangyin People's Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangyin, China.

Frontiers in Physiology
|April 29, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Thyroid hormone levels in preterm infants are linked to bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) severity. Lower thyroid hormone levels were associated with more severe BPD, suggesting monitoring may identify at-risk infants.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Endocrinology
  • Pediatric Pulmonology

Background:

  • Thyroid hormones (THs) are crucial for neonatal development.
  • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a significant complication in preterm infants.
  • The relationship between thyroid function and BPD, along with neurodevelopmental outcomes, requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the association between thyroid function and the incidence of BPD in extremely and very preterm infants.
  • To evaluate the impact of thyroid function on neurodevelopmental outcomes in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective study of 125 preterm infants (26-32 weeks gestation).
  • Thyroid function tests conducted at 2 and 4 weeks postpartum.
  • Neurodevelopment assessed via General Movements (GMs) at 36 and 40 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA).

Main Results:

  • 40 infants (32%) developed BPD (27 grade 1, 13 grade 2).
  • Grade 2 BPD infants had significantly lower TH levels than grade 1 BPD and non-BPD groups (P < 0.05).
  • A trend towards better neurodevelopment was observed in non-BPD and grade 1 BPD groups compared to grade 2 BPD.

Conclusions:

  • Serial thyroid function monitoring in the first month may identify preterm infants at high risk for severe BPD (grade 2).
  • Further intervention studies are warranted to explore thyroid replacement therapy's potential benefits for BPD severity and neurodevelopmental outcomes in high-risk infants.
Abstract

Keywords:
bronchopulmonary dysplasiainfantneurodevelopmentpretermthyroid hormone

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