Lung and brain damage in preterm newborns. Are they related? How? Why?

The relationships among bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), brain white matter damage (WMD) and cerebral palsy (CP) are far from simple. Apparently, BPD and WMD are not associated, while BPD and CP are. The most likely explanation for this paradox is that ultrasound imaging does not identify all the WMD that might lead to CP ('tip-of-the-iceberg effect'). We discuss further methodological inconsistencies, etiological peculiarities related to antenatal infection/inflammation, and intervention-related issues. In particular, we expand on the multiple-hit scenario in the etiology of BPD and offer support for the hypothesis that it is not lung disease, but factors associated with lung disease (e.g. postnatal steroid exposure) that increase the risk for developmental disability in childhood. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel