UREAPLASMA-UREALYTICUM COLONIZATION, PREMATURITY AND BRONCHOPULMONARYDYSPLASIA

The aim of the present study was to determine the association between the presence of Ureaplasma urealyticum in endotracheal aspirates and b ronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). In addition, a review of similar stud ies from the English literature is presented. During the period Februa ry 1990 until March 1991, 108 mechanically-ventilated infants were inc luded in a prospective study. Endotracheal aspirates were cultured for U. urealyticum. Birth weight, gestational age and development of BPD was recorded, Cultures were positive in 23 infants, resulting in a 21% colonization. The infants with positive cultures had a significantly lower gestational age (mean 28.9 vs 31.5 weeks; range 25-40 vs 25-42 w eeks; p=0.0014), A positive U. urealyticum culture was not associated with a low birth weight (mean 1,390 vs 1,690 g; range 675-4,090 vs 700 -3,600 g; p=0.0712). A positive U. urealyticum culture was significant ly associated with BPD (p=0.0373). However, after correction for gesta tional age by logistic regression analysis, BPD failed to correlate wi th the presence of positive U. urealyticum cultures. A MEDLINE search of the English language literature was performed to identify ail studi es having the association of U. urealyticum colonization and BPD, Four teen controlled studies were found, Five studies found no significant association between U. urealyticum colonization and BPD, In two studie s, after correction for gestational age, the association between U. ur ealyticum colonization and BPD did not remain significant. In five stu dies with a significant association between U. urealyticum colonizatio n and BPD, no correction for gestational age had taken place, In concl usion, Lr. urealyticum colonization is not associated with the develop ment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, U. urealyticum is often associated with gestational age and/or low birth weight; to investigate the asso ciation between U. urealyticum and bronchopulmonary dysplasia correcti on for both parameters should be made.