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Published on: July 26, 2017

Small size at birth and greater postnatal weight gain: relationships to diminished infant lung function

Jane S Lucas1, Hazel M Inskip, Keith M Godfrey

  • 1B.M., MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK.

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
|June 3, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Lower fetal growth and higher infant weight gain are linked to impaired lung development in infants. These factors impact lung function, increasing risks later in life.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric pulmonology
  • Environmental influences on lung development
  • Infant respiratory health

Background:

  • Impaired lung development in infancy is associated with reduced lung function and increased risk of chronic obstructive airway disease (COPD) in adulthood.
  • Environmental factors during early development significantly influence long-term respiratory health.
  • Understanding these influences is crucial for early intervention and prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of environmental factors, specifically birth weight and infant weight gain, on early lung development.
  • To measure lung function parameters in normal-term infants and correlate them with growth metrics.
  • To identify critical periods and factors influencing lung development in the first few months of life.

Main Methods:

  • Lung function was measured in 131 normal-term infants aged 5-14 weeks.
  • Parameters assessed included forced expiratory volume at 0.4 seconds (FEV), forced vital capacity (FVC), total respiratory system compliance, forced expiratory flow at functional residual capacity, and respiratory rate.
  • Statistical analyses adjusted for age at measurement, sex, and FVC where appropriate to determine relationships between lung function and birth weight/infant weight gain.

Main Results:

  • A decrease in birth weight was associated with reduced FEV at 0.4 seconds and total respiratory system compliance.
  • Increased infant weight gain was significantly correlated with decreased FEV at 0.4 seconds, decreased forced expiratory flow, and increased respiratory rate.
  • Lung function measurements showed no relationship with infant feeding methods.

Conclusions:

  • Lower rates of fetal growth (indicated by lower birth weight) and higher rates of weight gain in early infancy are associated with impaired lung development.
  • These findings highlight the critical role of both prenatal and early postnatal growth patterns in shaping infant lung function.
  • The study suggests potential targets for interventions aimed at optimizing lung development and mitigating future respiratory risks.

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