Palivizumab in infants with gestational age < or = 28 weeks and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

We report data from 11 patients < or = 28 weeks' gestation with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) prophylactically treated with palivizumab for prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. All babies were receiving pharmacologic respiratory therapy at the moment of discharge from neonatal intensive care unit. Babies received 15 mg/kg i.m. palivizumab every 4 weeks to a max of 5 doses during the period November-March. We compared them with 8 similar infants that did not require therapy at discharge, nor were given any placebo. The treated infants did not present significant side effects. No baby in both groups was infected with RSV during the period of observation. We conclude from these preliminary data that palivizumab did not present contraindications in infants < or = 28 weeks' gestation with severe BPD requiring pharmacologic therapy at discharge. More data are required to evaluate efficacy to prevent RSV infection in these infants.