The neonatal sequential organ failure assessment (nSOFA) score is an operational definition of organ dysfunction employed to predict sepsis-associated mortality. However, the relationship between the nSOFA score and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) has not been investigated clearly. This study evaluates whether the nSOFA score within 72 h after delivery could be used to predict the occurrence of BPD in very preterm infants.
In this retrospective, single-center cohort study, preterm infants born between 2019 and 2021 were investigated, the nSOFA score was calculated from medical records after admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) within 72 h after delivery, and the peak value was used for calculation. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between the nSOFA score and BPD. Propensity score matching and subgroup analysis were performed to verify the reliability of the results.
Of 238 infants meeting the inclusion criteria, 93 infants (39.1%) were diagnosed with BPD. The receiver operating characteristic curve of the nSOFA score in predicting BPD was 0.790 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.731–0.849]. The logistic regression model showed that an increment of one in the nSOFA score was related to a 2.09-fold increase in the odds of BPD (95% CI: 1.57–2.76) and 6.36-fold increase when the nSOFA score was higher than 1.5 (95% CI: 2.73–14.79).
The nSOFA score within 72 h after delivery is independently related to BPD and can be used to identify high-risk infants and implement early interventions.