Abstract 1095

We analyzed data from the 718 neonates with BW <1001 gm who were admitted to our intensive care nursery during the nine years from 1989-97. We collected data on the prevalence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD, oxygen requirement at >36 wks postconceptional age in a patient who lived >28 days), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH, grade III or IV) and ROP (stage 3 or 4 disease). 533 patients were at risk for BPD, 634 had at least one brain ultrasound exam and 496 had an eye exam prior to discharge. We studied the effect of treatment with surfactant, DEX, prenatal betamethasone and Mg tocolysis on the prevalence of each morbid condition while controlling for the other treatments and for BW and year using the method of Mantel & Haenszel. IVH had a decreasing incidence from the first three years to the last three years (40% to 25%, p<0.01, chi-square analysis) and was not affected by any of the treatments. BPD did not change in incidence over time although DEX treatment increased from 27% to 46% during the same period (p<0.01, chi-square analysis). ROP increased during the study period (9% to 40%, p<0.001) and had a 15% incidence without associated DEX treatment compared to a 48% incidence with DEX treatment (p<0.001). ROP also occurred in 36% of surfactant treated patients compared to 7% of untreated patients (p<0.01). These data suggest that an increased use of DEX has had little effect on BPD but may be increasing the risk of ROP.