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Lung volume and ventilation inhomogeneity in preterm infants at 15-18 months corrected age

Sven M Schulzke1, Graham L Hall, Elizabeth A Nathan

  • 1School of Women's and Infant's Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. sven.schulzke@health.wa.gov.au

The Journal of Pediatrics
|December 22, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Gestational age and endotracheal ventilation duration impact preterm infants' lung volume and growth. Lung function in these infants is linked to their early development and respiratory support duration.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatology
  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Respiratory Physiology

Background:

  • Preterm infants often experience impaired lung development.
  • Assessing long-term respiratory outcomes in this population is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if lung volume and ventilation inhomogeneity at 15-18 months corrected age are influenced by gestational age (GA) and neonatal lung disease severity.
  • To evaluate changes in these lung parameters from birth to 15-18 months corrected age.

Main Methods:

  • Multiple breath washout using sulfur hexafluoride was performed on 58 preterm and term infants.
  • Infants were studied in quiet sedated sleep at 15-18 months corrected age.
  • Multivariate and multilevel regression analyses were employed.

Main Results:

  • Functional residual capacity (FRC) at follow-up and its increase from birth were positively associated with GA.
  • Longer duration of endotracheal ventilation was linked to reduced FRC and lung growth.
  • Ventilation inhomogeneity indices were not significantly affected by GA or ventilation duration.

Conclusions:

  • Gestational age and endotracheal ventilation duration are independent factors affecting lung volume and lung growth in very preterm infants.
  • The observed effects on lung function, while significant, were small in magnitude.
Abstract

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