CHICAGO, April 25 (UPI) -- Hydrocortisone may prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or BPD, in premature newborns given oxygen treatments after birth, according to a recent study.
The steroid reduced damage in newborn mice with a rodent version of BPD, suggesting the chronic lung disease and heart failure of many babies born early could be avoided, researchers at Northwestern University report.
Premature infants require oxygen to continue development after birth, but it can damage their lungs, reducing their ability to filter air. Over time, the damage causes blood vessels in the lungs to harden, which often leads to heart failure.
"Supplemental oxygen has been our standard treatment for critically ill preemies, and while needed, it's not without risk," Dr. Kathryn Farrow, a neonatologist at Lurie Children's Hospital and an associate professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University, said in a press release. "Our findings provide new insights and new possible pathways to mitigate or …