ABSTRACT
Objective: To find out the incidence and associations ofbronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm neonates.Design: Descriptive cohort.Methods: All consecutively born neonates <33 weeks gestationrequiring oxygen or respiratory support during first 3 days of lifewere enrolled from a level III neonatal unit in Chandigarh, India.Those with malformations were excluded. Placenta wasexamined for histological chorioamnionitis in preterm rupture ofmembranes and/or preterm spontaneous onset of labour. SerumMalondialdehyde (MDA) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) andCatalase levels were estimated on day 3 of life. All recruitedneonates were followed up till discharge or death.Results: Out of 250 neonates enrolled, 170 (68%) survived tillday 28 and BPD developed in 19 (11.2%) infants. The meangestation and birth weight were significantly lower in infants whodeveloped BPD. Chorioamnionitis (clinical 5.3% vs 1.9%,P=0.375; and histological 37.5% vs 16.7%, P<0.001), patentductus arteriosus (PDA) (52.6% vs 8.9%, P<0.001), median (IQR)sepsis episodes [2 (2,3) vs 1 (1,2), P<0.001], invasive ventilation(84.2% vs 11.3%, P<0.001), and duration of ventilation [56 (4) d vs4 (5) d, P=0.001] were significantly higher in infants with BPD.Serum MDA, SOD and Catalase levels were comparable betweenthe two groups.Conclusion: Chorioamnionitis, PDA and sepsis were significantlyassociated with BPD.