Surfactant treatment at birth in a contemporary cohort of preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Objective: Initial surfactant studies demonstrated improvements in survival and need for respiratory support. However, as the use of non-invasive respiratory support has increased the use of surfactant has decreased. We examined in a contemporary cohort of BPD patients if surfactant use was associated with BPD severity.

Managing established bronchopulmonary dysplasia without using routine blood gas measurements.

Objective: Routine blood gas measurements are common in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (sBPD) and are a noxious stimulus. We developed a guideline-driven approach to evaluate the care of infants with sBPD without routine blood gas sampling in the chronic phase of NICU care (after diagnosis at 36 weeks PMA).

Study Design: We examined blood gas utilization and outcomes in our sBPD inpatient care unit using data collected between 2014 and 2020.

Multidisciplinary bronchopulmonary dysplasia care.

Introduction: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic respiratory disease in neonates and infants, which often presents with multisystem organ involvement, co-morbidities, and prolonged hospital stays. Therefore, a multidisciplinary chronic care approach is needed in the severest forms of BPD to optimize outcomes. However, this approach can be challenging to implement.

Tracheostomy in Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia-How to Decide in the Absence of Evidence.

Infants with the most severe forms of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) may require long-term invasive positive pressure ventilation for survival, therefore necessitating tracheostomy. Although life-saving, tracheostomy has also been associated with high mortality, postoperative complications, high readmission rates, neurodevelopmental impairment, and significant caregiver burden, making it a highly complex and challenging decision. However, for some infants tracheostomy may be necessary for survival and the only way to facilitate a timely and safe transition home.

Respiratory management of established severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Respiratory management of infants with established severe BPD is difficult and there is little evidence upon which to base decisions. Nonetheless, the physiology of severe BPD is well described with a predominantly obstructive pattern. This pulmonary dysfunction results in prolonged exhalatory time constants and thus ventilator management must be focused on maintaining adequate oxygenation and ventilation through achieving full exhalation.

Bronchodilator responsiveness and dysanapsis in bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Background: The incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) following preterm birth is increasing. Bronchodilators are often used to treat patients with BPD with little evidence to guide therapy. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that there are infant pulmonary function test (iPFT) parameters that can predict subsequent bronchodilator response in infants with BPD.

Tolerance of one-way in-line speaking valve trials in ventilator dependent children.

Background: Despite the advantages of tracheostomy placement in children requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation, vocalization and verbal communication remains limited in this population of children. The lack of these essential elements during a critical period of development can have a negative impact on overall development. In ventilator dependent children, in-line speaking valves (ISV) provide an opportunity for initiating speech and communication.

Perspectives on developing and sustaining a small baby program.

The Small Baby Program at Nationwide Children's Hospital was launched in 2004 in response to a need for better care for infants born extremely preterm. Standardization of care, decreased variability, multidisciplinary support, and robust research and quality improvement have allowed us to greatly improve our outcomes. In addition to the numerous medical and technological advances during this time, a strong commitment to kangaroo care and family-centered care have been integral to the growth and success of our program.

Noninvasive Respiratory Severity Indices Predict Adverse Outcomes in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that elevated respiratory severity indices will identify patients with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) at the greatest risk for adverse in-hospital outcomes.

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study. A modified respiratory severity score (mean airway pressure × fraction of inspired oxygen) and a modified pulmonary score (respiratory support score × fraction of inspired oxygen + sum of medication scores) were calculated in a consecutive cohort of patients ≥36 weeks of postmenstrual age with severe BPD admitted to a referral center between 2010 and 2018.

In-hospital respiratory viral infections for patients with established BPD in the SARS-CoV-2 era.

Objective: Our objective was to test the hypothesis that in-hospital respiratory viral infections (RVI) would be significantly lower in a cohort of patients with established bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) exposed to a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection prevention protocol when compared to historical controls.

Study Design: On April 1, 2020, we implemented a universal infection prevention protocol to minimize the risk of nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a dedicated BPD intensive care unit. We performed a retrospective cohort study and included patients with established BPD, as defined by the 2019 Neonatal Research Network criteria, admitted to our center who underwent real-time polymerase-chain-reaction RVI testing between January 1, 2015 and March 31, 2021.

Established severe BPD: is there a way out? Change of ventilatory paradigms.

Improved survival of extremely preterm newborn infants has increased the number of infants at risk for developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Despite efforts to prevent BPD, many of these infants still develop severe BPD (sBPD) and require long-term invasive mechanical ventilation. The focus of research and clinical management has been on the prevention of BPD, which has had only modest success.

In-hospital outcomes of late referrals for established bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Objective: To determine the in-hospital outcomes for patients with established bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) referred late for severe disease.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of patients with established BPD referred to our center after 36 weeks PMA.

Result: Among 71 patients with BPD referred to our center after 36 weeks PMA between 2010 and 2018, the median PMA was 47 weeks (IQR, 42, 53) and the median respiratory severity score was 8.

Development of a small baby unit to improve outcomes for the extremely premature infant.

Survival and outcomes for extremely premature (EP) infants have improved and even infants born at 23 and 24 weeks that were previously considered non-viable are now routinely surviving. This review describes our particular institution's basis for and process of creating and sustaining a small baby program for a quaternary, referral-based neonatal intensive care unit. Through multi-disciplinary collaboration, small baby guidelines were developed that established uniform care and optimized evidence-based practice for the care of this unique patient population.

Short-term complications and long-term morbidities associated with repeated unplanned extubations.

Objective: To describe characteristics associated with repeated unplanned extubations, short-term complications and outcomes, and longer-term morbidities including acquired subglottic stenosis.

Study Design: Cohort study including neonates admitted to a tertiary care neonatal intensive care unit who experienced an unplanned extubation in a 5-year period.

Results: We reviewed 588 events involving 300 patients.

Synergistic effects of sepsis and prematurity on neonatal postoperative mortality.

Introduction: Compared with term neonates, preterm babies are more likely to die from sepsis. However, the combined effects of sepsis and prematurity on neonatal postoperative mortality are largely unknown. Our objective was to quantify the proportion of neonatal postoperative mortality that is attributable to the synergistic effects of preoperative sepsis and prematurity.

Predicting survival in infants born at <27 weeks gestation admitted to an all referral neonatal intensive care unit: a pilot study.

Background: There are no available predictive models for survival in extremely preterm (EP) infants admitted to a referral Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after the first day of life (DOL).

Objective: To determine if there are clinical variables present at admission that are associated with survival in an outborn EP population.

Study Design: Data were analyzed from EP infants admitted before DOL 100 from 2008 to 2016 (n = 744).

Factors Associated with Neurodevelopmental Impairment in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Objective: To identify factors associated with neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Study Design: We identified 151 patients with moderate to severe BPD from 2010 to 2014 with complete Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) scores at 24 months corrected age. We defined NDI as any diagnosis of cerebral palsy or ≥1 BSID composite scores of <80.

Clinical phenotypes and management concepts for severe, established bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

With advances in care, the bronchopulmonary dysplasia phenotypes have evolved, so that infants who would have died in previous eras are now surviving with significant pulmonary and neurologic morbidities. The spectrum of bronchopulmonary dysplasia phenotypes is broad, however, ranging from very mild to very severe disease, and management strategies used in previous eras of care may not be appropriate for the most severe phenotypes. The pathophysiology depends largely on the gestational age at birth, but disease progression and long-term outcome depends on the net sum of antenatal, perinatal and postnatal exposures.

Outcomes following a comprehensive versus a selective approach for infants born at 22 weeks of gestation.

Objective: To examine outcomes at two institutions with different approaches to care among infants born at 22 weeks of gestation.

Study Design: Retrospective, cohort study (2006-2015). Enrollment was limited to mother-infant dyads at 22 weeks of gestation.