The role of inflammation and infection in the development of chronic lung disease of prematurity.

CLD is a significant cause of infant morbidity and mortality. The lung injury is multifactorial in origin with supplemental oxygen and ventilatory damage being only part of the picture. Antenatal and postnatal infection and inflammation are also important in the development of CLD, although their precise role has still to be fully ascertained. In the future, therapeutic strategies need to be considered to decrease the incidence and severity of CLD. In particular a definitive trial investigating the role of antibiotics against Ureaplasma urealyticum in preventing CLD needs to be performed. Increased use of newer microbiological methods will also improve our understanding of the role of infection in CLD and further guide research and clinical management.