An Update on Pulmonary and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common complication of extreme prematurity, and its rate is not improving, despite advances in perinatal intensive care. Children with BPD diagnosed in the neonatal period have higher risks for hospitalizations for respiratory problems over the first few years of life, and they have more asthma in later childhood. Neonates diagnosed with BPD have substantial airway obstruction on lung function testing in later childhood and early adulthood, and many are destined to develop adult chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Survivors with neonatal BPD have more adverse motor function, worse cognitive development and poorer academic progress than those without BPD. Long-term outcomes for children born extremely preterm will improve if the rate of BPD can be substantially reduced.