Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2025
Conducting Respiratory Oscillometry in an Outpatient Setting
Published on: April 8, 2022
Peripheral airway dysfunction in prematurity-associated obstructive lung disease identified by oscillometry
Michael Cousins1,2, Kylie Hart1,2, Bence L Radics3
1Department of Child Health, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, UK.
Insights
Preterm-born children with obstructive lung disease show significant lung function impairments. Oscillometry can help identify these children and guide treatment after bronchodilator administration.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Respiratory Physiology
- Neonatal Medicine
Background:
- Lung dysfunction is a common complication in preterm-born children.
- Mechanisms of prematurity-associated lung disease require further elucidation.
- Understanding lung phenotypes is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate lung function using oscillometry in preterm-born children with and without lung dysfunction.
- To compare lung function parameters between different phenotypes of prematurity-associated lung disease and controls.
- To assess the impact of exercise and bronchodilator administration on lung function.
Main Methods:
- Assessed 179 children aged 7-12 years: 15 with prematurity-associated obstructive lung disease (POLD), 11 with prematurity-associated preserved ratio of impaired spirometry (pPRISm), 93 preterm controls, and 60 term controls.
- Utilized oscillometry to measure impedance, resistance, reactance, and compliance at baseline, post-exercise, and post-bronchodilator.
- Classified preterm children based on spirometry criteria (FEV1/FVC ratio and lower limit of normal).
Main Results:
- Children with POLD exhibited significantly impaired impedance, increased resistance, and reduced compliance compared to both control groups.
- The pPRISm group showed impaired reactance and compliance compared to term controls.
- Post-exercise bronchodilator administration led to the greatest improvements in the POLD group, notably decreased resistance and reactance.
Conclusions:
- Preterm-born children with obstructive airway disease demonstrate the most significant oscillometry impairments.
- Oscillometry is a valuable tool for identifying lung disease in preterm-born children.
- Findings support the use of oscillometry for early detection and treatment initiation in affected children.
Introduction:
Mechanisms underlying lung dysfunction after preterm birth are poorly understood. Studying phenotypes of prematurity-associated lung disease may aid understanding of underlying mechanisms. Preterm-born children with and without lung dysfunction and term controls were assessed using oscillometry before and after exercise, and after postexercise bronchodilation.
Methods:
Preterm-born children, born at gestation of 34 weeks or less, were classified into those with prematurity-associated obstructive lung disease (POLD; FEV1 < LLN, FEV1 /FVC < LLN), prematurity-associated preserved ratio of impaired spirometry (pPRISm; FEV1 < LLN, FEV1 /FVC ≥ LLN) and compared to preterm (FEV1 ≥ LLN) and term controls (%predicted FEV1 > 90%). All children underwent cardiopulmonary exercise, and oscillometry assessment at baseline, postexercise, and after postexercise bronchodilator administration.
Results:
From 241 participants aged 7-12 years, complete data were available from 179: 15 children with POLD and 11 with pPRISm were compared with 93 preterm and 60 term controls. POLD group, when compared to both control groups, had impaired impedance, greater resistance, more negative (greater magnitude) reactance at low frequencies, and also had decreased compliance. pPRISm group demonstrated impaired reactance and compliance compared to term controls. No differences were noted between the preterm and term controls. Exercise had little impact on oscillometry values, but children with POLD had greatest improvements after postexercise bronchodilator administration, with decreased resistance and decreased magnitude of reactance, particularly at low frequencies.
Conclusion:
Preterm-born children with obstructive airway disease had the greatest oscillometry impairments and the largest improvements after postexercise bronchodilator compared to control groups. Oscillometry can potentially be used to identify preterm-born children with lung disease to institute treatment.
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