Health and developmental outcomes at 18 months in very preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

To determine whether very preterm infants who are oxygen-dependent at 28 days of life but not at 36 weeks' gestational age are at high risk of morbidities at 18 months.

A total of 217 infants born in a tertiary care center at 24 to 28 weeks' gestation in 1987 to 1992, classified into three groups: neonatal comparison group, O2 <28 days of life (n = 76); bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)-1, O2 >/=28 days but not at 36 weeks' gestational age (n = 48); and BPD-2, O2 >/=36 weeks (n = 93).

Growth, persistent respiratory problems (asthma, tracheostomy, home oxygen therapy), surgery, hospitalizations, and neurodevelopmental impairments.

Among the three groups, no differences were found in weight, height, head circumference, or total number of days of rehospitalizations for any causes, or in rate of rehospitalizations to the intensive care unit, persistent respiratory problems, cerebral palsy, or sensory impairment. Children with BPD-2 needed more hernia repairs compared with the other two groups (comparison group: 12% vs BPD-1: 10% vs BPD-2: 30%), had more days of readmissions for respiratory problems (comparison group: 2.0 vs BPD-1: 2.0 vs BPD-2 6.3 [BPD-1 vs BPD-2]), had a lower mean developmental quotient (comparison group: 97.4 +/- 15.0 vs BPD-1: 97.9 +/- 11.6 vs BPD-2: 90.7 +/- 19.3). Intraparenchymal cerebral lesions, high family adversity, and prolonged ventilation were the most important factors influencing the developmental outcome.

Children with BPD-1 are similar in all respect at 18 months to children in the comparison group. Children with BPD-2 are similar to the other groups at 18 months in growth, general health, and neurologic outcome but differ in having a higher number of days of rehospitalizations for respiratory causes, more hernia repairs, and more developmental delays.