Epidemiology and risk factors for bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants born at or less than 32 weeks of gestation

Abstract

Objectives: To describe risk factors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in very preterm infants in the first weeks of life.

Material and methods: Retrospective cohort study of preterm infants ≤ 32 weeks of gestational age and birth weight ≤ 1500 g. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for bronchopulmonary dysplasia in the first weeks of life.

Results: A total of 202 newborns were included in the study (mean gestational age 29.5 ± 2.1 weeks), 61.4% never received invasive mechanical ventilation. The incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia was 28.7%, and 10.4% of the patients were diagnosed with moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia was independently associated with gestational age (P < 0.001; OR = 0.44 (95% CI = 0.30-0.65)), the need for mechanical ventilation on the first day of life (P = 0.001; OR = 8.13 ((95% CI = 2.41-27.42)), nosocomial sepsis (P < 0.001; OR = 9.51 ((95% CI = 2.99-30.28)) and FiO₂ on day 14 (P < 0.001; OR = 1.39 ((95% CI = 1.16-1.66)). Receiving mechanical ventilation at the first day of life (P = 0.008; OR = 5.39 ((95% CI = 1.54-18.89)) and at the third day of life (P = 0.001; OR = 9.99 ((95% CI = 2.47-40.44)) and nosocomial sepsis (P = 0.001; OR = 9.87 ((95% CI = 2.58-37.80)) were independent risk factors for moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Conclusions: Gestational age, mechanical ventilation in the first days of life and nosocomial sepsis are early risk factors for bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The analysis of simple and objective clinical data, allows us to select a group of patients at high risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in whom it could be justified to act more aggressively, and shows areas for improvement to prevent its development or reduce its severity.

Keywords: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia; Displasia broncopulmonar; Factores de riesgo; Mechanical ventilation; Prematuridad; Prematurity; Risk factors; Ventilación mecánica.