Elsevier

The Journal of Pediatrics

Volume 152, Issue 2, February 2008, Pages 291-293
The Journal of Pediatrics

Clinical and laboratory observation
Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2007.11.006Get rights and content

We report 2 infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia in whom left ventricular diastolic dysfunction contributed to clinical abnormalities, including pulmonary hypertension and recurrent pulmonary edema. We speculate that close monitoring for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction may assist with clinical management and improve outcomes of infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Section snippets

Case 1

A boy twin B born at 28 weeks’ gestation weighing 829 g was delivered via Caesarian section because of chorioamnionitis. Oligohydramnios complicated the pregnancy. The patient was intubated and treated with surfactant at birth. Because of poor oxygenation with PH, he was treated with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation and inhaled nitric oxide (iNO). He was extubated to nasal continuous positive airway pressure after 5 weeks and discharged home at 4 months receiving oxygen 0.5 L/min. The

Discussion

We report on 2 patients with severe BPD whose clinical course was complicated by LVDD. Both patients had delayed recognition of LVDD. Although there were subtle findings of LVDD by echocardiography, cardiac catheterization was required to make the diagnosis in both patients. Both experienced significant hemodynamic and clinical improvement with afterload reduction therapy.

These findings are interesting because they bring to light a potentially treatable cardiac complication of late BPD.

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Supported by the Thrasher Foundation and grant number 5 K23 RR021021, National Center for Research Resources, a component of the National Institutes of Health.

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