Bronchopulmonar dysplasia (BPD) and nutrition in the low birth weight neonate

Abstract

The importance of nutritional factors in the etiology of BPD is supported by the close relationship between the presence of predisposing factors and the concomitant development of nutritional failure. Nutritional interventions aim to increase the caloric and protein intake with fluid intake restriction from the first day of life, avoid antioxidants deficiencies such as Vitamin E and selenium, and the administration of high intramuscular Vitamin A dose, because they could play a role in prevent or decrease the severity of BPD. Clinical practices favoring a higher protein intake (greater than 3 g/Kg/day), limited use of diuretics and postnatal steroids, promotion of ad-lib feeding and implementation of nutritional teams to individualize management may decrease the nutritional deficit and prevent or attenuate the development of failure to thrive.