The discovery BPD (D-BPD) program: Study protocol of a prospective translational multicenter collaborative study to investigate determinants of chronic lung disease in very low birth weight infants

Background: Premature birth is a growing and serious public health problem affecting more than one of every ten infants worldwide. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common neonatal morbidity associated with prematurity and infants with BPD suffer from increased incidence of respiratory infections, asthma, other forms of chronic lung illness, and death (Day and Ryan, Pediatr Res 81: 210-213, 2017; Isayama et la., JAMA Pediatr 171:271-279, 2017). BPD is now understood as a longitudinal disease process influenced by the intrauterine environment during gestation and modulated by gene-environment interactions throughout the neonatal and early childhood periods. Despite of this concept, there remains a paucity of multidisciplinary team-based approaches dedicated to the comprehensive study of this complex disease. Methods: The Discovery BPD (D-BPD) Program involves a cohort of infants < 1,250 g at birth prospectively followed until 6 years of age. The program integrates analysis of detailed clinical data by machine learning, genetic susceptibility and molecular translation studies. Discussion: The current gap in understanding BPD as a complex multi-trait spectrum of different disease endotypes will be addressed by a bedside-to-bench and bench-to-bedside approach in the D-BPD program. The D-BPD will provide enhanced understanding of mechanisms, evolution and consequences of lung diseases in preterm infants. The D-BPD program represents a unique opportunity to combine the expertise of biologists, neonatologists, pulmonologists, geneticists and biostatisticians to examine the disease process from multiple perspectives with a singular goal of improving outcomes of premature infants. Trial registration: Does not apply for this study.Fil: Ofman, Gaston. University of Alabama at Birmingahm; Estados UnidosFil: Caballero, Mauricio Tomás. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Álvarez Paggi, Damián Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Marzec, Jacqui. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Nowogrodzki, Florencia. No especifíca;Fil: Cho, Hye Youn. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Sorgetti, Mariana. No especifíca;Fil: Colantonio, Guillermo. No especifíca;Fil: Bianchi, Alejandra. No especifíca;Fil: Prudent, Luis M.. Fundación para la Salud Materno Infantil; ArgentinaFil: Vain, Néstor Eduardo. Fundación para la Salud Materno Infantil; Argentina. Sanatorio de la Trinidad Palermo.; ArgentinaFil: Mariani, Gonzalo Luis. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Digregorio, Jorge. Sanatorio de la Trinidad Palermo.; ArgentinaFil: Lopez Turconi, Elba. No especifíca;Fil: Osio, Cristina. Sanatorio "Otamendi y Miroli S. A."; ArgentinaFil: Galletti, Maria Fernanda. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Quiros, Mariangeles. Clinica y Maternidad Suizo Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Brum, Andrea. Sanatorio de la Trinidad Palermo.; ArgentinaFil: Lopez Garcia, Santiago. No especifíca;Fil: Garcia, Silvia. Sanatorio "Otamendi y Miroli S. A."; ArgentinaFil: Bell, Douglas. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Jones, Marcus H.. Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Tipple, Trent E.. University of Alabama at Birmingahm; Estados UnidosFil: Kleeberger, Steven R.. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Polack, Fernando Pedro. University of Alabama at Birmingahm; Estados Unido