EVALUATION OF THE USE OF BRONCHOPULMONARY DYSPLASIA OUTCOME ESTIMATOR IN THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

OBJECTIVE: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remains the most important respiratory morbidity affecting premature infants to this day. The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of 2022 version of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development BPD outcome estimator. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study evaluated premature infants with birth weights ranging from 501 to 1249 grams and gestational ages between 23 and 28 weeks. Premature infants born between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2022, at a tertiary-level neonatal intensive care unit who met the inclusion criteria, were included in the study. The predictive accuracy of the 2022 BPD Outcome Estimator in determining the severity of BPD and mortality was evaluated based on the patients' clinical outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 118 premature infants who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Fifty-six percent (n=66) of the infants were female. The birth weights of the patients ranged from 530 g to 1240, and the gestational weeks ranged from 24 to 28 weeks. The 2022 BPD Outcome Estimator has been found to be statistically significantly robust in predicting both mortality and severe BPD as well as BPD-free survival on days 1, 3, 7, and 14, and predicting severe BPD and BPD-free survival on day 28 (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Accurate prediction of BPD is crucial for developing strategies to manage and prevent BPD-related mortality and morbidities. The ability of tools such as the BPD Outcome Estimator to predict severe BPD, mortality, and BPD-free survival is highly valuable in clinical practice.