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Airways resistance and lung volume before and after bronchodilator therapy in symptomatic preterm infants

B Yuksel1, A Greenough

  • 1Department of Child Health, King's College Hospital, London, U.K.

Respiratory Medicine
|April 1, 1994
PubMed

Insights

Bronchodilator therapy significantly improved lung function in preterm infants with respiratory symptoms. Salbutamol reduced airway resistance and increased lung capacity, offering potential benefits for these vulnerable infants.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Respiratory Physiology

Background:

  • Preterm infants often exhibit high airway resistance (RAW) and low functional residual capacity to thoracic gas volume ratio (FRC:TGV) when symptomatic.
  • These lung function abnormalities can contribute to recurrent respiratory issues in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of bronchodilator therapy on lung function abnormalities in symptomatic preterm infants.
  • To determine if salbutamol administration can alleviate high airway resistance and improve lung volumes.

Main Methods:

  • Thirty-four preterm infants (median gestational age 28 weeks) with recurrent respiratory symptoms were studied.
  • Lung function parameters including thoracic gas volume (TGV), airway resistance (RAW), and functional residual capacity (FRC) were measured.
  • Specific airway conductance (SGAW) was calculated, and measurements were taken before and after nebulized salbutamol.

Main Results:

  • Nebulized salbutamol significantly reduced airway resistance (RAW) (P < 0.001).
  • Salbutamol administration led to a significant increase in specific airway conductance (SGAW) (P < 0.001) and functional residual capacity (FRC) (P < 0.001).
  • The observed improvements in lung function were consistent across different postnatal ages.

Conclusions:

  • Bronchodilator therapy with salbutamol effectively improves lung function in symptomatic preterm infants.
  • The findings suggest that addressing airway resistance and lung volume with bronchodilators can be beneficial for managing respiratory symptoms in this cohort.
  • These positive effects on lung mechanics are independent of the infant's postnatal age.

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