Predicting Chronic Lung Disease in Very Low Birthweight Infants: Comparison of 3 Scores

Aim: To evaluate 3 scores in their ability to predict Chronic Lung Disease (CLD) in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants.

Methods: The records of 188 VLBWs admitted to neonatal intensive care within two years were retrospectively reviewed. Two mortality scores -the CRIB (clinical risk index for babies) score and the Berlin admission score- and one morbidity score developed to predict CLD (Sinkin score) were assigned to each infant. Areas (AUC) under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used for comparison.

Results: The Sinkin score and the Berlin admission score had AUCs of 89.0 and 85.8% to predict CLD ("alive in oxygen at 28 days of life"). The AUCs were 87.7 and 81.2%, respectively, using the CLD definition "alive in oxygen at 36 weeks gestational age", the CRIB had an AUC of 77.0%.

Conclusion: To enroll patients in trials aimed at early interference with the course of CLD, the Berlin admission score or the Sinkin score could be used.