To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nebulized pentoxifylline for reducing the duration of oxygen supplementation in extremely preterm neonates at high risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Infants of 23⁰ to 27⁶ weeks' gestational age requiring mechanical ventilation or ≥30% supplemental oxygen on continuous positive airway pressure at 72-168 hours were randomized to receive 20 mg/kg (1 mL/kg) nebulized pentoxifylline or an equal volume of normal saline placebo every 6 hours for 10 consecutive days via a vibrating mesh nebulizer. The primary outcome was the duration of oxygen supplementation at 40 weeks' postmenstrual age. We used Cox proportional hazards regression modeling to analyze outcomes.

All infants had adequate data for analysis of the primary outcome. Intention-to-treat analysis revealed no differences in duration of oxygen supplementation at 40 weeks' postmenstrual age between pentoxifylline (n = 41) and placebo (n = 40) groups (median 2262 vs 2160 hours, adjusted hazard ratio: 1.14, 95% CI 0.72-1.80, P = .63). There was no difference in mortality and further secondary outcomes. No adverse effects were noted.

Nebulized pentoxifylline is safe but did not reduce the duration of oxygen supplementation in extremely preterm infants at high risk of BPD. Dose-ranging studies and large, well-designed clinical trials are required to determine whether the use of nebulized or systemic pentoxifylline as a prophylactic therapy offers small but relevant benefits for prevention of BPD.

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12611000145909.