Prevention and treatment of chronic lung disease

<p>The increased survival among very low birth weight (VLBW) contributes to the overall increase in the incidence of chronic lung disease (CLD), also known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), that remains a major complication of prematurity.</p> <p><span>The long-term health consequences of BPD include early and long term respiratory disease, susceptibility to respiratory infections, pulmonary hypertension, repeated hospitalizations, neurodevelopmental impairment and increased mortality.</span></p> <p><span>BPD pathogenesis is multifactorial and includes exposure to mechanical ventilation, oxygen toxicity, infection, and inflammation, but the real causes in single individuals have not been well clarified.</span></p> <p><span>In this review the current and potential future postnatal pharmacological (caffeine, diuretics, postnatal corticosteroids, bronchodilators, pulmonary vasodilators, anti-oxidants) and non-pharmacological strategies (ventilatory support, stem cells) in the prevention and management of BPD will be presented.</span></p><p> </p><p><strong>Proceedings of the 9^th International Workshop on Neonatology · Cagliari (Italy) · October 23^rd-26^th, 2013 · <em>Learned lessons, changing practice and cutting-edge research</em></strong>