Bronchopulmonary dysplasia in very low birth weight infants is associated with prolonged hospital stay.
BACKGROUND
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is associated with prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS) and delayed discharge home.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between BPD and LOS and to assess the contribution of concomitant major morbidities on LOS among infants with BPD.


METHODS
A population-based observational study of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants born from 1995 through 2003. Multivariate analyses, adjusted for perinatal variables, assessed the association between BPD and concomitant morbidities on LOS.


RESULTS
Of 10 134 survivors, 1926 (19.0%) had BPD. The adjusted LOS for infants with and without BPD was 84.1 days (95% CI, 82.8, 85.6) and 58.1 days (95% CI, 57.2, 59.0), respectively. Addition of a single concomitant morbidity increased mean LOS by 4 to 13 days.


CONCLUSIONS
BPD is a major cause of increased length of hospitalization among VLBW infants. Preventive or therapeutic modalities are required to reduce the significant burden of this condition.
Klinger
G
G
Department of Neonatal Intensive Care, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, 14 Kaplan Street, Petah Tiqva 49202, Israel. gilkl@post.tau.ac.il
Sirota
L
L
Lusky
A
A
Reichman
B
B
D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis