Aim To determine how well the revised NICHD criteria for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) predicts neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) and growth impairment at 2 years corrected age (CA) in the contemporary era in a multi-ethnic Asian population.

Methods Longitudinal cohort study.

Setting Singapore General Hospital, a regional tertiary teaching hospital.

Participants Preterm infants with birthweight < 1250 grammes, admitted from Jan 1 2009 to Dec 31 2010 with BPD compared to no BPD.

Outcome measures Neurodevelopmental and growth outcomes. Further multiple logistic regression were performed on factors, particularly modifiable factors, associated with BPD, which may be associated with NDI.

Results Out of 72 infants who satisfied the inclusion, 60 survived the primary hospitalisation. 46 children (77% of survivors) returned for Bayley III at 2 years, and 44 completed the assessment. BPD children had significantly lower birthweight and were more likely to be from a multiple pregnancy, to require high frequency oscillatory ventilation, to have pneumothorax, hemodynamically significant PDA (HSPDA), nosocomial sepsis and pneumonia, longer duration of ventilation and oxygen. They were also more likely to have ROP and NEC, but not IVH. BPD children were more likely to have NDI (defined by cognitive, language or motor scores < 70) OR 6.3 (95% CI 1.1–36.7). No significant differences were found for growth parameters at 2 years CA. Multiple logistic regression revealed independent association of HSPDA with NDI.

Conclusion NICHD definition of BPD significantly predicts NDI at 2 years CA. HSPDA was independently associated with NDI.