Early systemic steroids in preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia: Are we moving closer to a benefit –risk adapted treatment strategy?

Northway, et al werethe first to describe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in 1967 (1). advances in neonatal care characterize the following decades, largely because of the introduction of antenatal steroids in the 1970s and surfactant in the 1980s. Survival rates of smaller infants with lower gestational ages increased as well as the incidence of BPD. The incidence of BPD currently remains around 45% in extremely preterm infants (2). Effects on long-term pulmonary (more hospital admissions for respiratory infections in the first year, impaired lung function and exercise tolerance) and neurodevelopmental (poorer motoric and mental function skills) outcomes make BPD an illness that affects health and care well beyond the neonatal intensive care unit (3).
Source: The Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Editorials Source Type: research