The Heterogeneity of Long-Term Cardiopulmonary Outcomes in Children Born Preterm May Benefit from Pulmonary...

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Pulmonology
• Cardiology

Background:

• Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease common in preterm infants.
• Infants with BPD face an increased risk of pulmonary vascular disease (PVD), including pulmonary hypertension (PH).
• Adult survivors of prematurity with BPD represent a growing population with potential long-term health issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present three cases of preterm patients with BPD-associated PH (BPD-PH) monitored from childhood to young adulthood.
• To highlight the variability in management strategies and late outcomes for individuals with BPD-PH.
• To underscore the need for continued research into the long-term management of cardiopulmonary disease in this cohort.

Main Methods:

• Case series of three preterm patients with a history of BPD-PH.
• Monitoring of pulmonary hypertension (PH) using transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) throughout childhood and young adulthood.
• Review of management strategies and long-term cardiopulmonary outcomes.

Main Results:

• All three patients showed early resolution of PH on transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE).
• One patient discontinued long-term follow-up.
• Two patients experienced late cardiopulmonary complications necessitating PH-specialty management.

Conclusions:

• The cardiopulmonary sequelae of prematurity, particularly BPD-PH, persist beyond early childhood.
• Long-term management and monitoring are crucial for preterm survivors with BPD-PH to mitigate complications.
• Further research is needed to optimize long-term care strategies for this growing population.