Predicting chronic lung disease in very low birthweight infants: Comparison of 3 scores

Aim: To evaluate 3 scores in their ability to predict Chronic Lung Disease (CLD) in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants. Methods: The records of 188 VLBWs admitted to neonatal intensive care withi n two years were retrospectively reviewed. Two mortality scores - the CRIB (clinical risk index for babies) score and the Berlin admission score - and one morbidity score developed to predict CLD (Sinkin score) were assigned to each infant. Areas (AUC) under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) c urves were used for comparison. Results: The Sinkin score and the Berlin admission score had AUCs of 89.0 a nd 85.8 % to predict CLD ("alive in oxygen at 28 days of life"). The AUCs w ere 87.7 and 81.2 %,respectively, using the CLD definition "alive in oxygen at 36 weeks gestational age", the CRIB had an AUC of 77.0 %. Conclusion: To enroll patients in trials aimed at early interference with t he course of CLD, the Berlin admission score or the Sinkin score could be u sed.