Salivary cortisol is not associated with dexamethasone response in preterm infants with evolving bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Objective: Short-term treatment efficacy of systemic dexamethasone (DEX) in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is highly variable. Our objective was to assess if salivary cortisol may serve as a reliable biomarker of steroid response.

Study Design: Multi-site prospective observational cohort study.

Liberation from Respiratory Support in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Objective: To estimate the association between the mode of respiratory support administered at 36 weeks' post-menstrual age (PMA) with time-to-liberation from respiratory support (LRS) in infants with grade 2/3 bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Study Design: Daily respiratory support data were abstracted for infants born <32 weeks' gestation with grade 2/3 BPD enrolled in the Children's Hospitals Neonatal Database between 2017 and 2022. The main exposure was the mode of respiratory support received at 36 weeks' PMA: high flow nasal cannula >2 L/min (HFNC), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV), or mechanical ventilation (MV).

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.

Interdisciplinary clinical bronchopulmonary dysplasia programs: development, evolution, and maturation.

Multidisciplinary bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) programs provide improved and consistent medical management, care of the developing infant, family support, and smoother transitions in care resulting in improved survival, pulmonary, and extra-pulmonary outcomes. This review summarizes the benefits of interdisciplinary BPD management, as well as strategies for initial programmatic development, program growth, and maintenance at centers across the United States factoring in institutional, provider, and parent reported goals that were derived from a consensus conference on BPD management.

Childhood outcomes following discharge from a referral bronchopulmonary dysplasia program.

Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to profile the childhood health, development, and health-related quality of life (HR QoL) for children with the most severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), those discharged from a quaternary referral program.

Study Design: We collected cross-sectional data through telephone interviews with 282 families of children ages 18 months to 11 years who had been discharged from a BPD referral program.

Results: Respiratory morbidities were near universal, with 42% of children ever having required a tracheostomy and severity of these morbidities correlated with parent-reported health and QoL.

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.

Transpyloric feeding is associated with adverse in-hospital outcomes in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Objective: To estimate the association of transpyloric feeding (TPF) with the composite outcome of tracheostomy or death for patients with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (sBPD).

Study Design: Retrospective multi-center cohort study of preterm infants <32 weeks with sBPD receiving enteral feedings. We compared infants who received TPF at 36, 44, or 50 weeks post-menstrual age to those who did not receive TPF at any of those timepoints.

Nutritional Needs of the Infant with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Growth failure is a common problem in infants with established bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Suboptimal growth for infants with BPD is associated with unfavorable respiratory and neurodevelopmental outcomes; however, high-quality evidence to support best nutritional practices are limited for this vulnerable patient population. Consequently, there exists a wide variation in the provision of nutritional care and monitoring of growth for infants with BPD.

To Trach or Not To Trach: Long-term Tracheostomy Outcomes in Infants with BPD.

See Bonus NeoBriefs videos and downloadable teaching slides Infants born preterm who are diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) demonstrate a wide spectrum of illness severity. For infants with the most severe forms of BPD, safe discharge from the hospital may only be possible by providing long-term ventilation via a surgically placed tracheostomy. Though tracheostomy placement in infants with BPD is infrequent, recent reports suggest that rates of tracheostomy placement are increasing in this population.

Exploring the Association of Male Sex With Adverse Outcomes in Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: A Retrospective, Multicenter Cohort Study.

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a significant contributor to morbidity and death in infants who are born premature. Male sex is an independent risk factor for the development of BPD. However, whether male sex is associated with adverse outcomes that occur after formal diagnosis of severe BPD prior to hospital discharge remains unclear.

Association of the respiratory severity score with bronchopulmonary dysplasia-associated pulmonary hypertension in infants born extremely preterm.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that elevations in the respiratory severity score (RSS) are associated with increased probability of bronchopulmonary dysplasia-associated pulmonary hypertension (BPD-PH).

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of infants born extremely preterm admitted to a BPD center between 2010 and 2018. Echocardiograms obtained ≥ 36 weeks' post-menstrual age (PMA) were independently adjudicated by two blinded cardiologists to determine the presence/absence of BPD-PH.

Short-course antibiotic therapy for pneumonia in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Objective: To determine the adherence and safety outcomes of a 5-day antibiotic course with a "time-out" for treatment of "blood culture-negative" pneumonia in the NICU.

Study Design: Prospective surveillance of all infants diagnosed with pneumonia at 7 NICUs from 8/2020-12/2021. Safety outcomes were defined a priori by re-initiation of antibiotic therapy within 14 days after discontinuation and overall and sepsis-related mortality.

Ranking Future Outcomes Most Important to Parents of Children with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Objective: To assess which potential future outcomes are most important to parents of children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a disease that affects future respiratory, medical, and developmental outcomes for children born preterm.

Study Design: We recruited parents from 2 children's hospitals' neonatal follow-up clinics and elicited their importance rating for 20 different potential future outcomes associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. These outcomes were identified and selected through a literature review and discussions with panels of parents and clinician stakeholders, via a discrete choice experiment.

A review and guide to nutritional care of the infant with established bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remains the most common long-term morbidity of premature birth, and the incidence of BPD is not declining despite medical advancements. Infants with BPD are at high risk for postnatal growth failure and are often treated with therapies that suppress growth. Additionally, these infants may display excess weight gain relative to linear growth.

Association of Racial Disparities With In-Hospital Outcomes in Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Importance: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common serious morbidity of preterm birth. Short-term respiratory outcomes for infants with the most severe forms of BPD are highly variable. The mechanisms that explain this variability remain unknown and may be mediated by racial disparities.

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.

Chronic lung disease in full-term infants: Characteristics and neonatal intensive care outcomes in infants referred to children's hospitals.

Objective: To describe characteristics, outcomes, and risk factors for death or tracheostomy with home mechanical ventilation in full-term infants with chronic lung disease (CLD) admitted to regional neonatal intensive care units.

Study Design: This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of infants born ≥37 weeks of gestation in the Children's Hospitals Neonatal Consortium.

Results: Out of 67,367 full-term infants admitted in 2010-2016, 4886 (7%) had CLD based on receiving respiratory support at either 28 days of life or discharge.

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.