Pulmonary Hypertension in Extremely Preterm Infants

Extremely preterm infants are at risk for developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and associated chronic pulmonary hypertension (PH), a consequence of altered pulmonary vasculature. This condition occurs in about 25% of babies with BPD, and the association grows with increasing BPD severity. Other risk factors have been described as well. Morbidity and mortality associated with prematurity and/or BPD increase significantly in the presence of PH. Thus, international guidelines encourage the use of standardized screening protocols for this condition. However, several questions regarding these recommendations are left unanswered, such as a clear definition for PH in this population. The research aim is to prospectively evaluate prevalence, risk factors and clinical course of PH in these children. The investigators aim to identify at-risk infants early on and ultimately improve survival making use of an early targeted intervention.