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Assessment of Vascular Indices by Abdominal Aortic Ultrasonography in Preterm Neonates with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

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Abstract

Preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) frequently encounter systemic hypertension, yet the underlying cause remains elusive. Given the absence of prior investigations concerning the correlation between systemic hypertension and aortic thickness, we undertook this study to assess and juxtapose diverse vascular indices amidst preterm neonates with BPD, preterm neonates lacking BPD, and healthy neonates, utilizing abdominal aorta ultrasonography. This cross-sectional study encompassed 20 preterm neonates, 20 preterm neonates with BPD, and 20 healthy neonates, meticulously matched for sex and postnatal age. Comprehensive demographic, anthropometric, and clinical evaluation data were documented. The neonates underwent abdominal aortic ultrasonography for comparative evaluation of aortic wall thickness and vasomotor function across the three groups. The study revealed that neonates with BPD exhibited a notably higher average systolic blood pressure than preterm and term neonates (P < 0.05). Conversely, echocardiographic parameters such as input impedance, and arterial wall stiffness index displayed no substantial variance among the three groups (P > 0.05). The mean (SD) aortic intima-media thickness (aIMT) for preterm neonates with BPD, preterm neonates, and term neonates were 814 (193.59) μm, 497.50 (172.19) μm, and 574.00 (113.20) μm, correspondingly (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the mean (SD) pulsatile diameter for preterm neonates with BPD, preterm neonates, and term neonates were 1.52 (0.81) mm, 0.91 (0.55) mm, and 1.34 (0.51) mm, respectively (P < 0.05). Following adjustment for birth weight, sex, and gestational age at birth, the study identified a noteworthy correlation between aIMT and BPD. The investigation concluded that the mean aortic intima-media thickness (aIMT) was significantly elevated in preterm neonates with BPD, signifying a potential early indicator of atherosclerosis and predisposition to future heightened blood pressure and cardiovascular ailments. Consequently, the study postulates that aIMT could be a consistent and well-tolerated marker for identifying BPD patients at risk of developing these health complications.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully thanked Pediatric Cardiovascular Research Center (Isfahan, Iran) for cooperating with this study and all individuals for supporting our research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Mehdi Ghaderian, Mohammad Reza Sabri, Alireza Ahmadi, Bahar Dehghan, Chehreh Mahdavi, Davood Ramezani Nezhad & Mostafa Arezoo

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Development Research Center, Child Growth, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Behzad Barekatain

  3. Metabolic Liver Disease Research Center, Imam Hossein Children’s Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Silva Hovsepian

Authors
  1. Mehdi Ghaderian
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  2. Behzad Barekatain
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  3. Mohammad Reza Sabri
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  4. Silva Hovsepian
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  5. Alireza Ahmadi
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  6. Bahar Dehghan
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  7. Chehreh Mahdavi
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  8. Davood Ramezani Nezhad
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  9. Mostafa Arezoo
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Contributions

SH, MG and MA wrote the main manuscript text and MA prepared Figs. 1 and 2. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Mostafa Arezoo.

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Ghaderian, M., Barekatain, B., Sabri, M.R. et al. Assessment of Vascular Indices by Abdominal Aortic Ultrasonography in Preterm Neonates with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. Pediatr Cardiol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-023-03295-7

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