Respiratory morbidity, lung function and fitness assessment after bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Neonatology
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease affecting preterm infants.
• Long-term respiratory outcomes and exercise capacity in school-aged children with a history of BPD are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate respiratory morbidity and exercise capacity at school age in children with a history of BPD.
• To compare these outcomes with children born preterm without BPD and term-born controls.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study comparing three groups: former preterm children with BPD (n=23), preterm children without BPD (n=33), and term controls (n=33).
• Assessments included a respiratory health questionnaire, spirometry (lung function testing), and the six-minute walk test (6MWT) for exercise capacity.

Main Results:

• Children with a history of BPD reported significantly more wheezing in early life and up to one year prior to the study compared to non-BPD preterm children and term controls.
• Spirometry revealed lower mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) in the BPD group.
• Six-minute walking distance was reduced in children with a history of BPD compared to both other groups, although this difference became non-significant after adjusting for confounding factors.

Conclusions:

• Persistent wheezing and diminished lung function are significant long-term consequences of BPD into school age.
• While exercise capacity may be reduced, further research is needed to confirm these findings after accounting for other factors.