New research has determined that lung ultrasounds can be useful in predicting and treating bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a type of chronic lung disease that affects newborns, especially those born prematurely or with low birth weight, Lung.org explains. It results in the inflammation and scarring of the lungs. While most children with BPD recover, it can result in long-term respiratory problems. Diagnosing BPD has proven difficult, as there is no single test that can identify it. Rather, experts rely on a variety of symptoms to diagnose it, including:

  • Wheezing
  • Trouble feeding
  • Fast, heavy breathing
  • History of lung infections
  • A need for oxygen therapy

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However, lung ultrasounds have proven helpful in diagnosing acute respiratory failure in adult patients, so the researchers wondered if it could also be helpful in diagnosing lung conditions in infants. As such, the objective of the study was to determine if lung ultrasounds are a reliable way to diagnose BPD in infants. The findings of the study were recently published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

During the study, the researchers considered data from premature newborns born at 30 weeks gestation or younger. Conversely, full-term infants are those delivered at 37 weeks or later. The researchers performed a series of lung ultrasounds on the infants. Lung ultrasound can importantly monitor oxygen levels and breathing patterns. The first was conducted on the day they were born, while the second was administered 1-week post-birth. Two more ultrasounds were conducted on the newborn participants, one 2 weeks post-birth and another a month after the infants’ delivery, MDLinx explains.

Based on the data collected during the lung ultrasounds, the researchers assigned a blood gas and breathing score to the infants. From there, they adjusted the lung ultrasound score based on the gestational age of the participants. This, in turn, allowed the researchers to make an educated prediction as to whether the infants were likely to develop BPD 36 weeks following their arrival or not.

In conclusion, the study discovered that there was a difference in mean lung ultrasound scores between babies that went on to develop BPD and those that did not. As such, they determined that lung ultrasounds are a reliable way to determine the likelihood of BPD in premature infants, particularly at 7- and 14-days post-birth. It’s hoped that the new research will encourage the performance of lung ultrasounds on premature infants in an effort to predict BPD before it develops or becomes severe. The earlier BPD is protected, the better the treatment outcomes are likely to be.

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Sources: Lung.org, ATS Journals, MDLinx,