Reduced mortality and increased BPD with histological chorioamnionitis and leukocytosis in very-low-birth-weight infants

Objective:to investigate the association between leukocytosis, mortality and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (bpd) in very-low-birth-weight infants (vlbw) born to mothers with histological chorioamnionitis.study design:a retrospective cohort study from a single level 3 neonatal intensive care unit. the study sample included infants born to mothers with histological chorioamnionitis (n=252). total white blood cells (wbcs) after birth were measured. leukocytosis was defined as a total wbc count >30 000 per mm3 in the first 2 days of life. outcomes investigated included bpd and death. both unadjusted and multivariable analyses were carried out.result:after controlling for potential confounding variables, infants who developed a leukocytosis after birth had increased odds of bpd (4.6, 95% confidence interval (95% ci): 2.0 to 10.3), but decreased odds of death (0.3, 95% ci: 0.1 to 0.90).conclusion:in our population of vlbw infants born to mothers with histological chorioamnionitis, leukocytosis after birth is associated with a decrease in mortality but an increase in bpd.