Development of Lung Function in Preterm Infants During the First Two Years of Life

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Neonatal Lung Development
• Respiratory Physiology

Background:

• Prematurity's impact on post-delivery lung development, particularly bronchial size, remains unclear.
• Assessing lung function in preterm infants is crucial for understanding long-term respiratory health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate lung function in healthy preterm infants during the first two years of life.
• To compare lung function measurements in preterm infants with those of healthy term infants.

Main Methods:

• Observational longitudinal study of 74 preterm and 76 term infants.
• Lung function assessed at 6 and 18 months corrected age using tidal breathing, passive respiratory mechanics, and forced expirations (V'maxFRC, FEF25-75).
• Measurements followed ATS/ERS recommendations with chloral hydrate sedation.

Main Results:

• At 6 months, preterm infants exhibited lower respiratory compliance and V'maxFRC compared to term controls.
• By 18 months corrected age, preterm infants demonstrated catch-up in tidal volume, respiratory mechanics, FEV0.5, and forced expiratory flows.
• Initial differences in lung function between preterm and term infants diminished over time.

Conclusions:

• Lower forced expiratory flows in healthy preterm infants at 6 months resolved by 18 months corrected age.
• Findings suggest a catch-up in airway function development in preterm infants.
• Prematurity may not lead to persistent deficits in lung function by early childhood.