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Long-term respiratory outcome of babies born prematurely

Kamal Ali1, Anne Greenough

  • 1Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, The MRC & Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, King’s College London, UK.

Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease
|February 11, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Infants born prematurely with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) often experience chronic respiratory issues and hospital readmissions in early childhood. While most improve, some may have lasting airflow limitations into adolescence.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatology
  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Premature birth is linked to chronic respiratory morbidity, especially in infants developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
  • Infants with BPD often require home oxygen and are frequently readmitted to the hospital, primarily for respiratory infections like RSV.
  • Respiratory symptoms and airflow obstruction can persist into school age and adolescence for children with a history of BPD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the long-term respiratory outcomes for infants who developed BPD.
  • To understand the patterns of hospital readmissions and persistent respiratory symptoms in this population.
  • To highlight the role of imaging in managing ongoing respiratory issues in BPD survivors.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature and clinical data on premature infants with BPD.
  • Analysis of readmission rates and causes within the first two years of life.
  • Assessment of respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function, and the utility of chest CT scans for follow-up.

Main Results:

  • Most infants with BPD are not oxygen-dependent beyond two years of age.
  • Hospital readmissions are common in the first two years, predominantly for respiratory infections.
  • Persistent respiratory symptoms and evidence of airway obstruction are observed even in school-aged children and adolescents with BPD.

Conclusions:

  • While many infants with BPD show improvement, ongoing airflow limitation can persist.
  • Early childhood respiratory issues and readmissions are significant concerns for BPD survivors.
  • Chest CT imaging is valuable for monitoring patients with persistent respiratory problems following BPD.

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