Lung Function in Preterm Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
Author Information
Author(s): Latzin Philipp, Roth Stefan, Thamrin Cindy, Hutten Gerard J., Pramana Isabelle, Kuehni Claudia E., Casaulta Carmen, Nelle Matthias, Riedel Thomas, Frey Urs
Primary Institution: University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Hypothesis
How do lung volume, breathing patterns, and ventilation inhomogeneity differ between preterm infants with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia compared to term-born infants?
Conclusion
Preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia can maintain functional lung volume during natural sleep, despite alterations in their breathing patterns.
Supporting Evidence
- Preterm infants with BPD had marginally lower functional residual capacity than those without BPD.
- Respiratory rates were higher in preterm infants with BPD compared to healthy controls.
- Breathing pattern changes were related to the severity of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
- No significant differences were found in ventilation inhomogeneity among the groups.
- Healthy term-born infants had higher functional residual capacity compared to BPD infants.
Takeaway
This study shows that even babies born early with lung problems can keep their lungs working well while they sleep, but they breathe a bit differently than healthy babies.
Methodology
The study measured lung function in 127 infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, 58 preterm infants without BPD, and 239 healthy term-born infants during quiet natural sleep.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of disease severity could affect the observed lung function differences.
Limitations
The study's observational nature limits causal inferences, and the clinical definition of BPD may lead to misclassification.
Participant Demographics
Participants included preterm infants with varying degrees of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and healthy term-born infants, matched for post-conceptional age.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.027
Confidence Interval
95% CI 15.9–29.8 mL/kg
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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