Adjunctive therapies in bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Despite the advances in the medical and respiratory support of preterm infants, chronic lung disease in these infants, widely known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), remains one of the most challenging complications in preterm infants. The changing definitions of this disease, based on its treatment, have made management both difficult and frustrating to neonatologists. As a result, several therapies, devices, strategies, and adjunctive agents have evolved to either reduce the risk of BPD or alleviate its course. This article focuses on the pathogenesis of BPD, the adjunctive therapies used in relation to BPD, and the mechanisms of action of these adjunctive therapies.