Lung growth and pulmonary function after prematurity and bronchopulmonary dysplasia

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Laura Moschino1, Luca Bonadies1, Eugenio Baraldi1,2

  • 1Department of Women's and Children's Health, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Padova University Hospital, Padova, Italy.

Pediatric Pulmonology
|March 17, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) survivors often have impaired lung development, leading to lifelong respiratory issues. This review examines BPD

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) significantly impacts survivors of extreme prematurity, causing long-term respiratory and vascular complications.
  • BPD is characterized by simplified alveolar structure and abnormal pulmonary microvessel development, affecting lung function and imaging findings.
  • These structural changes result in persistent airway, parenchymal, and vascular abnormalities throughout life.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on pulmonary and vascular growth in BPD survivors.
  • To summarize evidence on lung function and imaging findings in BPD patients into adulthood.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of longitudinal lung function studies.
  • Analysis of imaging studies (CT and MRI) assessing lung abnormalities in BPD survivors.
  • Synthesis of data on pulmonary and vascular development up to adulthood.

Main Results:

  • Most preterm infants with BPD follow a trajectory of low lung function, failing to reach full airway growth potential.
  • Adult BPD survivors exhibit persistent lung abnormalities, including emphysematous changes, bronchial thickening, and mosaic attenuation.
  • Dysmorphic pulmonary microvessel growth contributes to long-term vascular complications.

Conclusions:

  • BPD leads to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-like phenotypes and increased risk of respiratory complications later in life.
  • Persistent lung abnormalities in BPD survivors are evident even in adulthood, impacting quality of life.
  • Further research is needed to understand long-term outcomes and develop targeted interventions for BPD survivors.

Keywords:
bronchopulmonary dysplasialung growthlung structurepreterm birthpulmonary function

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