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Lung function of preterm infants before and after viral infections

Simon B Drysdale1, Jessica Lo, Michael Prendergast

  • 1Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King's College London, London, UK, simon.drysdale@kcl.ac.uk.

European Journal of Pediatrics
|June 6, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Viral lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in premature infants can negatively impact their airway resistance by age one year. This study highlights potential long-term lung function changes following early-life respiratory infections.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Respiratory Physiology

Background:

  • Prematurely born infants are susceptible to respiratory infections.
  • Viral lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are common in this population.
  • The long-term impact of LRTIs on infant lung function requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if viral LRTIs affect lung function in prematurely born infants at follow-up.
  • To compare lung function between infants with and without a history of viral LRTI.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective follow-up of 70 infants (median gestational age 34 weeks).
  • Categorization into viral LRTI group (n=32) and no LRTI group (n=38).
  • Assessment of respiratory system function (FRCHe, Crs, Rrs) at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) and 1 year corrected, including lung volume (FRCpleth) and airway resistance (Raw) at 1 year.

Main Results:

  • No significant lung function differences were observed at 36 weeks PMA.
  • At 1 year corrected, the viral LRTI group exhibited significantly higher mean airway resistance (Raw) compared to the no LRTI group (23 vs 17 cm H2O/l/s, p=0.0068).
  • This difference remained significant after adjustment.

Conclusions:

  • Viral LRTIs adversely affect prematurely born infants' airway resistance.
  • The impact on airway resistance is evident at 1 year corrected age, irrespective of hospitalization status.
Abstract

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