Point of Care Lung Ultrasound in Preterm Infants With Respiratory Distress

This is a multicenter study including preterm infants born less than 32 weeks gestational age and with a diagnosis of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Our primary aim is to determine the ability of lung ultrasounds performed in the first month of life to predict the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) at 36 weeks postmenstrual age.

Secondary aims will evaluate the association of lung ultrasound scores with the severity of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) at time of diagnosis, as well as describe lung ultrasound changes pre and post-treatment with systemic steroid course.

Hypothesis:

1. LUS scores would have a predictive ability to identify extreme preterm infants at risk of BPD with AUC\>0.8. 2. Higher LUS scores would correlate with higher severity of hemodynamically significant PDA. 3. LUS scores are expected to be lower after the course of systemic steroids and with lower scores are expected to predict successful extubation following the course of systemic steroids.

• Association between lung ultrasound scores and severity of patent ductus arteriosus. [Срок оценки: The lung ultrasound would be performed around the time of echocardiographic diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus and severity determined by standard criteria.]
• Comparison of lung ultrasound scores pre and post systemic steroid course administration [Срок оценки: The lung ultrasound would be performed prior to steroid administration, 24 hours, 72 hours, 7 days, 10 days and 17 days after the first dose of 10 day course of systemic steroid administration.]