Safety, Reliability, and Validity of a Physiologic Definition of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the focus of many intervention trials, yet the outcome measure when based solely on oxygen administration may be confounded by differing criteria for oxygen administration between physicians. Thus, we wished to define BPD by a standardized oxygen saturation monitoring at 36 weeks corrected age, and compare this physiologic definition with the standard clinical definition of BPD based solely on oxygen administration. METHODOLOGY: A total of 199 consecutive very low birthweight infants (VLBW, 501 to 1500 g birthweight) were assessed prospectively at 361 weeks corrected age. Neonates on positive pressure support or receiving >30% supplemental oxygen were assigned the outcome BPD. Those receiving 30% oxygen underwent a stepwise 2% reduction in supplemental oxygen to room air while under continuous observation and oxygen saturation monitoring. Outcomes of the test were "no BPD" (saturations 88% for 60 minutes) or "BPD" (saturation =1.0; test–retest reliability, =0.83) and highly correlated with discharge home in oxygen, length of hospital stay, and hospital readmissions in the first year of life. CONCLUSIONS: The physiologic definition of BPD is safe, feasible, reliable, and valid and improves the precision of the diagnosis of BPD. This may be of benefit in future multicenter clinical trials.