The impact of oxygen therapy in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Introduction: The etiological factors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are lung immaturity associated with increased susceptibility to oxygen damage, barotraumatisms and pulmonary volutrauma, surfactant deficiency and immature antioxidant defense. Aim: The evaluation of the impact of oxygen therapy in preterm children with BPD. Method: The study was conducted on 18 children with BPD of which 66.7%:95% CI, 41-86.7 boys and 33.3%:95% CI, 13.3-59 girls and a control group of 5 preterm children without BPD. All the children were examined by pulmonary CT. Results: The children diagnosed with BPD were born at an average gestational age of 29.24±2.1 weeks and their average weight at birth was 1477.9±341.4 gr.; in the control group the gestational age was 29.5±1.2 weeks and the weight at birth was 1535.4±152.5gr. (p>0.05). All the children involved in the study developed the respiratory distress syndrome. In the main group 66.7% of children had been connected to CPAP therapy, for an average period of 8.5±1.3 days, the O 2 concentration was 26.2±2.3%. In the control group 100% of children were connected to CPAP for 7.5±2.1 days, the average concentration of O 2 being 21.2±2.3% (p>0.05). In the main group 10 children had been connected to VAP for 13.4±2.3days, the average O 2 concentration was 44.4±15.6% comparing to the control group: 1 child was connected to VAP for 4 days, the O 2 concentration was 28%. 4 children were connected to combined oxygen therapy by VAP and CPAP, and all of them subsequently developed BPD. Conclusion: Preterm infants given VAP therapy for a prolonged period of time, associated with increased oxygen concentrations have an increased risk of developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia.