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Preterm birth and respiratory disease in later life

Przemko Kwinta1, Jacek Józef Pietrzyk

  • 1Jagiellonian University, 30-663 Cracow, Poland. kwintap@mp.pl

Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine
|October 7, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Preterm birth can lead to chronic respiratory diseases, with some infants developing persistent airway obstruction. Long-term monitoring and preventive measures are recommended for these individuals to mitigate risks like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Pulmonology
  • Neonatology

Background:

  • Chronic respiratory diseases are a frequent complication in preterm infants, especially those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
  • Advances in neonatal care have altered the landscape of late respiratory complications in premature infants.
  • Viral infections commonly trigger respiratory exacerbations requiring hospitalization in infancy and early childhood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the long-term respiratory outcomes in preterm infants.
  • To identify the progression of respiratory issues from infancy to adulthood.
  • To recommend strategies for managing chronic airway obstruction in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Review of respiratory complications in preterm infants.
  • Analysis of symptom progression and lung function changes over time.
  • Identification of risk factors for persistent obstructive lung disease.

Main Results:

  • While symptoms often mild by school age, some preterm infants exhibit chronic airway obstruction with recurrent wheezing and reduced lung function (e.g., decreased forced expiratory volume).
  • Obstructive lung disease persists into adulthood for some preterm infants, particularly those with a history of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
  • These individuals face a heightened risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease later in life.

Conclusions:

  • Preterm birth survivors, especially those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, require ongoing respiratory assessment.
  • Pulmonary prophylaxis and lifelong lung function monitoring are advisable for preterm infants with persistent obstructive lung disease.
  • Early identification and management can help prevent or delay the onset of adult chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in this vulnerable group.

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