Caffeine and bronchopulmonary dysplasia: Clinical benefits and the mechanisms involved.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic respiratory disease that occurs during the neonatal period and is commonly associated with prematurity. This condition results in a severe economic burden on society and the families involved. Caffeine is used not only for the treatment of apnea in prematurity, but also for the prevention of BPD. There are multiple clinical benefits of caffeine treatment, including improved extubation success, a reduced duration of mechanical ventilation, improved lung function, and a reduction of patent ductus arteriosus requiring treatment. These clinical benefits of caffeine for the treatment of BPD are supported by both clinical trials and evidence from animal models. However, the mechanism by which caffeine protects against BPD remains unclear. Here, we review the clinical value of caffeine in the prevention of BPD and its potential mechanisms of action, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifibrotic, and antiapoptotic properties, the regulation of angiogenesis, and diuretic effects. Our aim is to provide a new theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of BPD.