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Development of a Neonatal Piglet Acute Lung Injury Model Recreating the Early Environment of Preterm Infant Lungs
08:58

Development of a Neonatal Piglet Acute Lung Injury Model Recreating the Early Environment of Preterm Infant Lungs

Published on: October 31, 2025

Better care of immature infants; has it influenced long-term pulmonary outcome?

Thomas Halvorsen1, Britt Torunn Skadberg, Geir Egil Eide

  • 1Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway. thomas.halvorsen@pedi.uib.no

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|July 11, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Infants born extremely prematurely in the 1990s showed no lung function improvement compared to those born in the 1980s. Long-term airway obstruction remains a significant outcome for extremely preterm infants, regardless of birth era.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatology
  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Perinatal Medicine

Background:

  • Extremely preterm infants (<28 weeks gestation or <1000g birthweight) face long-term respiratory challenges.
  • Lung function outcomes in extremely preterm survivors have been studied across different neonatal care eras.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare long-term lung function in extremely preterm infants born in the early 1980s versus the early 1990s.
  • To investigate the impact of neonatal factors on pulmonary outcomes in these cohorts.

Main Methods:

  • Population-based, controlled cohort study.
  • Lung function assessed in extremely preterm infants (born 1982-85 and 1991-92) and matched term-born controls.
  • Analysis included bronchopulmonary dysplasia incidence and lung function parameters like airway obstruction and hyper-responsiveness.

Main Results:

  • Similar rates of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in both preterm cohorts.
  • Both preterm groups exhibited increased airway obstruction, hyper-responsiveness, and hyperinflation compared to controls.
  • Neonatal respiratory disease, oxygen dependence, lack of antenatal corticosteroids, and prolonged oxygen treatment predicted similar long-term airway obstruction in both cohorts.

Conclusions:

  • Extremely preterm infants born in different neonatal care eras experience similar long-term lung function deficits.
  • Airway obstruction remains a prevalent long-term consequence for extremely preterm infants.
  • Extended oxygen supplementation is often necessary, highlighting ongoing challenges in managing these vulnerable infants.
Abstract

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