Gut microbiota and metabolomic changes across preterm stages: potential associations with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remains a leading cause of morbidity in preterm infants, yet early biomarkers and targeted preventive strategies are limited. By integrating microbiome and metabolome data from a pilot cohort, this study identified patterns of disrupted Bacteroidota succession and Streptococcus-associated oxidative stress that are associated with BPD risk. These findings highlight the gut as a potential extrapulmonary contributor to disease susceptibility and support early risk assessment and guide future microbiome-targeted interventions in preterm infants.