Association between Hemoglobin Levels in the First 3 Days of Life and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Preterm Infants.

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the association between hemoglobin (Hb) levels in the first 3 days of life and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants. Study Design The study population comprises 147 neonates with a gestational age (GA) of less than 32 weeks who were admitted to BaYi Children's Hospital Affiliated to Beijing Military General Hospital from January 2014 to May 2015. Hb levels in the first 3 days of life, maternal and infant characteristics, were recorded and then analyzed. Results BPD patients had a lower GA and birth weight than non-BPD patients. Rates of surfactant use, use of early inhalation hormone, days of mechanical ventilation > 2 weeks, and patent ductus arteriosus in BPD patients were higher and have a significant difference. Number of transfusions was higher in BPD patients. Lower Hb levels in the first 3 days of life were also observed in BPD patients. A cutoff value of Hb levels was determined as 155.5 g/L. Hb ≤ 155 g/L in the first 3 days of life was a significant risk factor for BPD. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that lower Hb levels in the first 3 days of life may increase the risk of developing BPD in preterm infants.