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Mild prematurity and respiratory functions

  • Neonatology
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Abstract

Pulmonary function tests and bronchial reactivity to methacholine (MCH) were measured in 34 randomly selected prematures (21 males, 13 females; mean age 11.6 years; mean gestational age 34.9 weeks; mean birth weight 1980 g) and in 34 siblings (22 males, 12 females; mean age 12.5 years; mean gestational age 39.5 weeks; mean birth weight 3030 g). None had suffered neonatal respiratory distress syndrome or had been artificially ventilated. Prematurely born children had a residual volume (RV) and residual volume/total lung capacity (RV/TLC) significantly (P<0.01) increased compared to controls, although the mean values of both groups were still within the upper limits of normal. Furthermore, an increase of closing volume/vital capacity and closing capacity/total lung capacity (CC/TLC) was observed in most patients with increased RV and RV/TLC. No significant difference was observed for bronchial responsiveness to MCH between prematurely born and control children (11.8% and 5.9% of hyperreactive subjects, respectively). Maternal smoking during pregnancy was prevalent in prematures with impaired respiratory functions. In conclusion clinically normal children of smoking mothers who have survived prematurity but present some respiratory function impairment compared to their born-at-term siblings, should be fully informed and protected from risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adult life.

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Abbreviations

CC:

closing capacity

CV:

closing volume

FEV:

forced expiratory volume in 1s

MCH:

methacholine

MEF25, 50, 75 :

maximum expiratory flow at 25%, 50% and 75% of expiratory vital capacity

PC20 :

dose of MCH provoking a 20% fall in FEV1

RDS:

respiratory distress syndrome

RV:

residual volume

TLC:

total lung capacity

VC:

Vital capacity

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital of Perugia, I-06132, Perugia, Italy

    T. Todisco, L. Iannacci, S. Baglioni, A. Eslami, E. Todisco & M. Dottorini

  2. Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital of Perugia, I-06132, Perugia, Italy

    F. M. de Benedictis

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  1. T. Todisco
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  2. F. M. de Benedictis
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  3. L. Iannacci
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  4. S. Baglioni
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  5. A. Eslami
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  6. E. Todisco
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  7. M. Dottorini
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Todisco, T., de Benedictis, F.M., Iannacci, L. et al. Mild prematurity and respiratory functions. Eur J Pediatr 152, 55–58 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02072517

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02072517

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