Abstract
Background: Increased respiratory morbidity and reduced lung function (LF) have been reported in premature (PT) infants.
To assess respiratory morbidity and spirometry at 4 and 6 years in children born moderate and late PT without neonatal respiratory disease and compare with a contemporaneous group of healthy children born term (T).
Methods: Prospective case-control study. Data on respiratory morbidity was collected in Spanish children born PT (30-35+6 weeks) and in those born T at 4 and 6 years. Spirometry was measured in each visit.
Results: We followed up 105 children (55 T/50 PT). Both groups had a similar bronchiolitis incidence (T 40%, PT 45%). Hospitalization for respiratory infections at 4 and 6 years and physician diagnosed wheezing at 4 years were significantly higher in PT (Table 1). No significant differences were found in z-score FVC, FEV1 or FEF25-75 neither at 4 nor 6 years between both groups.
Conclusions: Children born moderate and late PT have more respiratory morbidity, reflected on number of admissions for respiratory infections and wheezing episodes, compared to T, even though no differences in LF were found between them.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA2036.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021