Monosaccharides and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a predominant complication in premature newborns. It requires accurate identification of at-risk infants in order to implement immediate therapeutic interventions. In this study of 234 newborns with a gestational age of 32 weeks or less, researchers assessed the value of circulating carbohydrates as a diagnostic biomarker for bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Among the infants, 29% developed a borderline disorder, 71% mild dysplasia and 30% moderate to severe dysplasia. In addition to the expected risk factors (gestational age, birth weight, etc.), the researchers highlighted the influence of two free monosaccharides (glucose and mannose) and five degraded monosaccharides (fucose, galactose, glucose and mannose).