Bronchopulmonary dysplasia – trends over three decades

OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and respiratory distress syndrome subjects, along with the trends in severity and mortality associated with BPD over the past three decades. METHODS: Retrospective study of BPD and respiratory distress syndrome subjects born between 1980 and 2008, and admitted to Montreal Children's Hospital (Montreal, Quebec). Data were abstracted from hospital records. RESULTS: Gestational age and birth weight were correlated with the occurrence of BPD with each additional week of gestation and 100 g in birth weight being associated with an OR of developing BPD of 0.77 and 0.89, respectively. BPD severity was associated with male sex, Apgar score and the occurrence of neonatal pneumonia. Significant trends were observed for lower mortality despite lower gestational age and birth weight, greater maternal age and multiple gestations. CONCLUSION: Mortality from BPD has improved over the past three decades despite significant trends toward more pronounced prematurity and lower birth weights.