OBJECTIVETo identify the risk factors for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

METHODSData from 72 patients with RDS (birth weight 1607 +/- 277 g; gestational age 29.47 +/- 2.54 weeks) who were hospitalized for >28 days and who received mechanical ventilation treatment between January 2001 and August 2005 were studied retrospectively. A logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors associated with the development of BPD.

RESULTSOf the 72 patients, 17 developed BPD (23.6%). Uniovariate analysis revealed that in addition to a gestational age of < or = 30 weeks and a birth weight below 1250 g, the times of mechanical ventilation treatment (> or = 2 times), concurrent pulmonary infection and pneumorrhagia, prolonged mechanical ventilation (> or = 5 days), and positive sputum bacterial cultures on 2 occasions were all associated with an increase in the incidence of BPD. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that birth weight below 1250 g, prolonged mechanical ventilation (> or = 10 days),and positive sputum cultures on 3 or more occasions were independent risk factors for BPD (OR=6.614,14.997 and 39.752 respectively).

CONCLUSIONSThe risk for BPD is multifactorial. Preventing small gestational age and low birth weight prematurity, decreasing the duration of mechanical ventilation and treatment of pulmonary infection are necessary to prevent BPD.