Children born extremely early, at 25 weeks or before, have a high risk of developing lung problems including asthma by the time they reach 11 years of age.
Children born extremely early, at 25 weeks or before, have a high risk of developing lung problems including asthma by the time they reach 11 years of age.
To study if extremely premature children are at a risk of respiratory problems or functional impairment at 11 years if age, researchers compared 219 babies born in Britain and Ireland at or before 25 weeks gestation with 169 healthy children of the same age, sex and ethnic origin. The children were examined and their lung function and respiratory health was checked when they were two, six and 11 years old. The researchers had data regarding the spirometry test (lung function test done at the time of birth) of only 182 extremely premature children and 161 children from the control group.
They found that extremely pre-term babies years often had abnormal lung function and were twice as likely as children born at a full 39 or 40 weeks to be diagnosed with asthma.
A total of 129 extremely premature children had bronchopulmonary dysplasia (chronic lung disease that develops in preterm neonates) while 56 percent of all premature babies had abnormal lung function (spirometry) results. One in four had asthma and these children had significantly more chest deformities and respiratory symptoms than those in the control group.
The above findings, indicating a link between pre-mature birth and respiratory problem, should serve as a warning as these children enter adulthood with impaired lung function and have a higher risk of subsequent chronic lung disease.
To study if extremely premature children are at a risk of respiratory problems or functional impairment at 11 years if age, researchers compared 219 babies born in Britain and Ireland at or before 25 weeks gestation with 169 healthy children of the same age, sex and ethnic origin. The children were examined and their lung function and respiratory health was checked when they were two, six and 11 years old. The researchers had data regarding the spirometry test (lung function test done at the time of birth) of only 182 extremely premature children and 161 children from the control group.
They found that extremely pre-term babies years often had abnormal lung function and were twice as likely as children born at a full 39 or 40 weeks to be diagnosed with asthma.
A total of 129 extremely premature children had bronchopulmonary dysplasia (chronic lung disease that develops in preterm neonates) while 56 percent of all premature babies had abnormal lung function (spirometry) results. One in four had asthma and these children had significantly more chest deformities and respiratory symptoms than those in the control group.
The above findings, indicating a link between pre-mature birth and respiratory problem, should serve as a warning as these children enter adulthood with impaired lung function and have a higher risk of subsequent chronic lung disease.
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