Rates of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in very low birth weight neonates: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

IMPORTANCE: Large-scale estimates of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are warranted for adequate prevention and treatment. However, systematic approaches to ascertain rates of BPD are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the prevalence of BPD in very low birth weight (≤ 1,500 g) or very low gestational age (< 32 weeks) neonates. DATA SOURCES: A search of MEDLINE from January 1990 until September 2019 using search terms related to BPD and prevalence was performed. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized controlled trials and observational studies evaluating rates of BPD in very low birth weight or very low gestational age infants were eligible. Included studies defined BPD as positive pressure ventilation or oxygen requirement at 28 days (BPD28) or at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (BPD36). DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers independently conducted all stages of the review. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to calculate the pooled prevalence. Subgroup analyses included gestational age group, birth weight group, setting, study period, continent, and gross domestic product. Sensitivity analyses were performed to reduce study heterogeneity. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Prevalence of BPD defined as BPD28, BPD36, and by subgroups. RESULTS: A total of 105 articles or databases and 780,936 patients were included in this review. The pooled prevalence was 35% (95% CI, 28-42%) for BPD28 (n = 26 datasets, 132,247 neonates), and 21% (95% CI, 19-24%) for BPD36 (n = 70 studies, 672,769 neonates). In subgroup meta-analyses, birth weight category, gestational age category, and continent were strong drivers of the pooled prevalence of BPD. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study provides a global estimation of BPD prevalence in very low birth weight/low gestation neonates.

Intranasal delivery of human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stromal cells restores lung alveolarization and vascularization in experimental bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a devastating lung condition that develops in premature newborns exposed to prolonged mechanical ventilation and supplemental oxygen. Significant morbidity and mortality are associated with this costly disease and effective therapies are limited. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells that can repair injured tissue by secreting paracrine factors known to restore the function and integrity of injured lung epithelium and endothelium. Most preclinical studies showing therapeutic efficacy of MSCs for BPD are administered either intratracheally or intravenously. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of human cord tissue-derived MSC administration given via the intranasal route. Human umbilical cord tissue MSCs were isolated, characterized, and given intranasally (500 000 cells per 20 µL) to a hyperoxia-induced rat model of BPD. Lung alveolarization, vascularization, and pulmonary vascular remodeling were restored in animals receiving MSC treatment. Gene and protein analysis suggest the beneficial effects of MSCs were attributed, in part, to a concerted effort targeting angiogenesis, immunomodulation, wound healing, and cell survival. These findings are clinically significant, as neonates who develop BPD have altered alveolar development, decreased pulmonary vascularization and chronic inflammation, all resulting in impaired tissue healing. Our study is the first to report the intranasal delivery of umbilical cord Wharton's jelly MSCs in experimental BPD is feasible, noninvasive, and an effective route that may bear clinical applicability.

Integrated care facilitation model reduces use of hospital resources by patients with pediatric asthma.

This evaluation assessed a model of care for pediatric asthma patients that aimed to promote health and reduce their preventable and avoidable use of acute hospital services. Pediatric asthma patients (n=223) were allocated care facilitators who provided assistance in the promotion of carer/self-management, education and linkage to an integrated healthcare system, comprising of acute and community-based healthcare providers. Patients' use of acute hospital services (emergency department [ED] presentations, admissions, and bed-days) pre- and postrecruitment were compared using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. The pediatric asthma care givers quality of life questionnaire' was used to assess changes in health and quality of life. The patients displayed a 57% reduction in ED presentations, 74% in admissions, and a 71% reduction in bed-days. Whereas a comparator group displayed 27%, 32%, and 14% increases, respectively. Patients also reported significant improvements in quality of life domains of activity limitation (+5.6, p<.001) and emotional function (+9.1, p<.001). The reduction in the use of hospital services was attributed to the aversion of preventable presentations and admissions, via the enhancement of carer/self-management and access to community health services. These outcomes were supported by indicators of improved patient health and quality of life, and comments by the participant's carers.

An integrated care facilitation model improves quality of life and reduces use of hospital resources by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic heart failure.

As part of the Department of Human Services Hospital Admissions Risk Program (HARP), a group of acute and community based health care providers located in the western suburbs of Melbourne formed a consortium to reduce the demand on hospital emergency services and improve health outcomes for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic heart failure (CHF). The model of care was designed by a team of multidisciplinary specialists and medical consultants. In addition to receiving normal care, patients recruited to the project were assessed by 'Care Facilitators', who identified unmet health care needs and provided information, advice and education for the patient concerning their condition and self-management. Patients declining recruitment received all normal care services. The patients' rates of emergency department (ED) presentations, inpatient admissions and hospital inpatient bed-days before and after their recruitment were calculated from the Western Health patient activity records, and pre- versus post-recruitment rates were compared using ANOVA. Changes relative to the ongoing use by those who declined recruitment were compared using the group-by-time interaction. Patient health outcomes were assessed using established disease-specific tools, and pre- versus post-recruitment values were compared using paired t-tests. Patients recruited to the COPD project reduced (P<0.05) their emergency presentations, admissions and hospital inpatient bed-days by 10, 25 and 18%, respectively, whereas those declining recruitment increased their usage by 45, 41 and 51% respectively. Recruited CHF patients also displayed reductions in emergency presentations (39%), admissions (36%) and hospital inpatient bed-days (33%), whereas those who declined recruitment displayed lesser reductions for ED presentations (26%) and admissions (20%), and increased their use of hospital inpatient bed-days (15%). The recruited COPD patients reported a significant reduction in their symptoms (P<0.005) and the CHF patients reported an improvement in their overall health and quality of life scores (P<0.001). The outcome measures used in this evaluation suggest that an integrated care facilitation model that is patient focussed, provides an education component to promote greater self-management compliance and delivers a continuum of care through the acute and community health sectors, may reduce the utilisation of acute health care facilities and benefit the patient.