Bronchopulmonary dysplasia: temporal trend from 2010 to 2019 in the Brazilian Network on Neonatal Research.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the temporal trend of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants who survived to at least 36 weeks' post-menstrual age (PMA) and BPD or death at 36 weeks' PMA, and to analyse variables associated with both outcomes.

DESIGN: Retrospective cohort with data retrieved from an ongoing national registry.

SETTING: 19 Brazilian university public hospitals.

PATIENTS: Infants born between 2010 and 2019 with 23-31 weeks and birth weight 400-1499 g.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Temporal trend was evaluated by Prais-Winsten model and variables associated with BPD in survivors or BPD or death were analysed by logistic regression.

RESULTS: Of the 11 128 included infants, BPD in survivors occurred in 22%, being constant over time (annual per cent change (APC): -0.80%; 95% CI: -2.59%; 1.03%) and BPD or death in 45%, decreasing over time (APC: -1.05%; 95% CI: -1.67%; -0.43%). Being male, small for gestational age, presenting with respiratory distress syndrome, air leaks, needing longer duration of mechanical ventilation, presenting with treated patent ductus arteriosus and late-onset sepsis were associated with an increase in the chance of BPD. For the outcome BPD or death, maternal bleeding, multiple gestation, 5-minute Apgar <7, late-onset sepsis, necrotising enterocolitis and intraventricular haemorrhage were added to the variables reported above as increasing the chance of the outcome.

CONCLUSION: The frequency of BPD in survivors was constant and BPD or death decreased by 1.05% at each study year. These results show some improvement in perinatal care in Brazilian units which resulted in a reduction of BPD or death, but further improvements are still needed to reduce BPD in survivors.