Changes in respiratory management and the impact on bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: Noninvasive respiratory support has reduced the need for mechanical ventilation and surfactant administration in very premature neonates. We sought to determine how the increased use of noninvasive ventilation and less surfactant instillation has impacted the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) using four currently used BPD definitions.

STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective, single-center cohort study of neonates born at less than 28 weeks gestation between 2010 and 2018. A respiratory practice change (less surfactant and more noninvasive ventilation) occurred in 2014 following participation in the Surfactant Positive Airway Pressure and Pulse Oximetry trial. Therefore, patients were divided into two epochs to compare postnatal respiratory and clinical course and BPD outcomes across four currently relevant definitions (Vermont Oxford Network, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Canadian, and Neonatal Research Network).

RESULTS: Clinical and demographic variables were similar between epochs. Despite significant differences in maternal and infant characteristics and clinical course, the incidence of BPD was not significantly different between the two epochs regardless of the BPD definition utilized. There was a wide range in the incidence of BPD depending on the definition used.

CONCLUSIONS: Despite decreased use of surfactant administration and invasive mechanical ventilation between the two epochs, the incidence of BPD did not change and there was wide variation depending on the definition used. A better understanding of the risk factors associated with BPD and a consensus definition is urgently needed to: 1) more accurately compare various studies, 2) help facilitate the conduct of clinical trials, and 3) enhance the development of novel therapeutic interventions to improve outcome.