The Role of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Airway Mucins and the Microbiome in the Early Prediction of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD)

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), the most common respiratory complication of extremely preterm birth, significantly impacts healthcare with high morbidity and mortality rates. Despite the well-established primordial role of inflammation and oxidative stress in the development of BPD, clinical practice does not incorporate the testing for biomarkers associated with the development of BPD. The diagnosis of BPD based on required respiratory support at 36 weeks PML, stresses the need for an early prediction tool which could identify patients with high levels of these biomarkers. This on its turn, could also improve treatment approaches in clinical practice which are currently mostly supportive or non-specific and do not target underlying pathophysiologic pathways. Secondly, mucin expression aim to play a rol in other respiratory diseases, whereas in BPD only the potential role of MUC1 was