TY - JOUR T1 - Effect of <em>in utero</em> growth retardation on lung function at follow-up of prematurely born infants JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J SP - 731 LP - 733 DO - 10.1183/09031936.04.00060304 VL - 24 IS - 5 AU - A. Greenough AU - B. Yuksel AU - P. Cheeseman Y1 - 2004/11/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/24/5/731.abstract N2 - The aim of the study was to determine if prematurely born children who had suffered intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR) had more severe lung function abnormalities than those born an appropriate weight for gestational age (AGA). Analysis of the lung function results of 119 infants (median (range) gestational age of 30 (23–35) weeks) was undertaken. In total, 31 of the infants had suffered IUGR and were born small for gestational age (SGA). Functional residual capacity and airways resistance (Raw) were measured at a median post-natal age of 10 (6–24) months. Specific airway conductance (sGaw) was calculated from thoracic gas volume and Raw. The SGA children were born at a greater gestational age and had a lower body weight at testing than the AGA children. Raw and sGaw differed between the SGA and AGA children. Regression analysis demonstrated that lung volumes were significantly related to body weight at testing, Raw was related to IUGR, maternal smoking and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and sGaw to maternal smoking. In conclusion, these results suggest that prematurely born infants who have suffered intra-uterine growth retardation may be at increased risk of impaired lung function at follow-up. B. Yuksel was supported by the Joint Research Committee of King's College Hospital. ER -