Background: Advances in intensive health care within the last 30 years have resulted in increased survival of most immature neonates. The results of epidemiological studies indicate, however, that late complications of prematurity, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), have become more frequent since the late 1990s. The identification of risk factors predisposing to severe BPD might help in developing treatment methods directed at the group of children with high risk of developing the disease.
Aim: Analysis of prevalence and risk factors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia among extremely low birth weight newborns of regional birth cohort of south-east Poland.
Methods: The study included newborns of birth weight < or = 1000g born in south-east district of Poland within one calendar year. The data assessed were: the need of oxygen therapy of at least 28 days' duration and the need of oxygen therapy at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age (PMA).
Results: During the study period 109 newborns with birth weight < or = 1000g) were hospitalized in three third-level departments of neonatology in south-east Poland. The final assessment for BPD included 56 children (51%), whose mean birth weight was 839g (SD: 128) and mean gestational age was 27.3 weeks (SD: 2.2). Thirty-nine children (70%) required oxygen therapy for at least 28 days, and 27 children (48%) required oxygen therapy at 36 weeks of PMA. Gestational age of the newborn, the need of respiratory support at birth, and the need of surgical treatment of PDA were found to be independent risk factors of oxygen therapy lasting for at least 28 days. Only the need of respiratory support at 7 days of life and the need for surgical treatment of PDA were found to be independent risk factors of oxygen therapy at the 36 weeks of PMA.
Conclusion: The analysis of several risk factors of BPD in children with birth weight < or =1000g revealed that the need for respiratory support at seven days of life is a major risk factor of developing chronic respiratory disease. The risk of BPD may be significantly reduced by adequate care aimed at shortening the time of conventional respiratory support and at limiting the persistence of ductus arteriosus.