Multidisciplinary team meetings for severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a descriptive study of recommendations, follow-up, and physician satisfaction.

Management of severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (sBPD) remains challenging and poorly standardized. In 2021, France established multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT) dedicated to sBPD patients. This study described discussed patients, their outcomes and physicians' satisfaction. This multicenter retrospective observational and uncontrolled study included patients presented between June 2021 and September 2024 at the MDT. Data were collected from medical records and the RespiFil database. Questionnaires evaluated physicians' satisfaction and patient outcomes. The data of 38 patients, median gestational age 26 weeks and median age at presentation 46 weeks' postmenstrual age, were analyzed. Systemic steroids were administered before 36 weeks in 31/36 (86%) of the patients. Ventilatory weaning was recommended in 23/37 patients (62%). Recommendations were fully followed in 30/36 patients (83%). Satisfaction was rated between 8 and 10/10 on a 10-point scale by 28/30 physicians (93%). Physicians rated the benefit they perceived for their patients between 8 and 10 on a 10-point scale in 27/36 patients (75%). The frequency of the meetings needed to be increased over time to meet the demand of physicians. At a median follow-up of 11 months, 32/38 patients (84%) were reported as clinically improved and 24/34 lived patients (71%) were weaned from ventilatory support and oxygen.

conclusionThis descriptive study shows that sBPD MDT is feasible, well accepted by referring physicians, with high adherence to recommendations. By supporting coordinated and individualized care, they may help harmonize practices across centers. Comparative studies are now needed to evaluate their impact on patient outcomes. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Management of severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (sBPD) remains challenging owing to its multifactorial origin and the lack of standardized treatment. • Multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT) are well-established, effective tools in oncology and rare diseases. WHAT IS NEW: • This study is the first multicenter report describing the implementation, feasibility and sustainability of an sBPD-dedicated MDT. • 93% of responding physicians reported high satisfaction, and recommendations were fully followed in 83% of cases supporting the feasibility and acceptability of this model, whose impact on clinical outcomes remains to be prospectively evaluated.