Azithromycin for Eradication of Ureaplasma and Prevention of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Preterm Neonates in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Azithromycin has been explored as a treatment option for eradication of and prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm neonates. However, there is debate about the need for eradication of and whether azithromycin is safe and efficacious for this indication. This literature review provides an overview of the evidence for use of azithromycin for eradication of and prevention of BPD, including dosing and duration of azithromycin used in these studies. The literature search included articles published in the English language in Medline and PubMed from 1946 to January 2022. Relevant citations within identified articles were also reviewed. A total of 9 studies representing 388 neonates were included. The percentage of neonates that tested positive for in these studies ranged from 18.6% to 57.1%. Azithromycin was initiated at