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Long-term respiratory consequences of prematurity

Mariëlle W Pijnenburg1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Erasmus University Medical Center- Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Pediatric Pulmonology
|October 3, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Preterm birth, affecting 10% of children globally, often leads to lasting respiratory issues and reduced lung function. Even moderate preterm birth impacts lung health, necessitating tailored, multidisciplinary care for affected children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Neonatology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Preterm birth affects approximately 10% of children worldwide.
  • Respiratory complications are common sequelae of preterm birth.
  • Impaired lung function in preterm infants can persist into adulthood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the long-term respiratory consequences of preterm birth.
  • To emphasize that lung function deficits are observed across the spectrum of prematurity.
  • To advocate for phenotype-based management of prematurity-associated lung disease.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on respiratory outcomes in preterm infants.
  • Analysis of lung function data in preterm-born children.
  • Discussion of the heterogeneity of lung disease in prematurity.

Main Results:

  • Preterm birth is associated with increased respiratory symptoms and hospital admissions.
  • Lower lung function Z-scores are found in preterm-born children, including those born moderate-late preterm.
  • Lung function impairment can extend into adulthood.

Conclusions:

  • Preterm birth has significant and lasting impacts on respiratory health.
  • Lung function deficits are not limited to extremely preterm infants.
  • Multidisciplinary, phenotype-based management is crucial for improving respiratory outcomes in preterm-born individuals.

Keywords:
bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)neonatal pulmonary medicineprematuritypulmonary function testing (PFT)

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