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Children born preterm have impaired lung function and altered lung structure. However, there are conflicting reports on how preterm birth impacts aerobic exercise capacity in childhood. We aimed to investigate how neonatal history and a diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) impact the relationship between function and structure of the lung, and aerobic capacity in school-aged children born very preterm. Preterm children (≤ 32 w completed gestation) aged 9–12 years with (n = 38) and without (n = 35) BPD, and term-born controls (n = 31), underwent spirometry, lung volume measurements, gas transfer capacity, a high-resolution computer tomography (CT) scan of the chest, and an incremental treadmill exercise test. Children born preterm with BPD had an elevated breathing frequency to tidal volume ratio compared to term controls (76% vs 63%, p = 0.002). The majority (88%) of preterm children had structural changes on CT scan. There were no differences in peak VO2 (47.1 vs 47.7 mL/kg/min, p = 0.407) or oxygen uptake efficiency slope when corrected for body weight (67.6 vs 67.3, p = 0.5) between preterm children with BPD and term controls. There were no differences in any other exercise outcomes. The severity of structural lung disease was not associated with exercise outcomes in this preterm population. Children born preterm have impaired lung function, and a high prevalence of structural lung abnormalities. However, abnormal lung function and structure do not appear to impact on the aerobic exercise capacity of preterm children at school age.

Rationale Survivors of preterm birth are at risk of chronic and lifelong pulmonary disease. Follow-up data describing lung structure and function are scarce in children born preterm during the surfactant era. Objectives To obtain comprehensive data on lung structure and function in mid-childhood from survivors of preterm birth. We aimed to explore relationships between lung structure, lung function and respiratory morbidity as well as early life contributors to poorer childhood respiratory outcomes. Methods Lung function was tested at 9–11 years in children born at term (controls) and at ≤32 weeks gestation. Tests included spirometry, oscillatory mechanics, multiple breath nitrogen washout and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. Preterm children had CT of the chest and completed a respiratory symptoms questionnaire. Main results 58 controls and 163 preterm children (99 with bronchopulmonary dysplasia) participated. Preterm children exhibited pulmonary obstruction and hyperinflation as well as abnormal peripheral lung mechanics compared with term controls. FEV 1 was improved by 0.10 z-scores for every additional week of gestation (95% CI 0.028 to 0.182; p=0.008) and by 0.34 z-scores per z-score increase in birth weight (0.124 to 0.548; p=0.002). Structural lung changes were present in 92% of preterm children, with total CT score decreased by 0.64 (−0.99 to −0.29; p Conclusions Abnormal lung structure in mid-childhood resulting from preterm birth in the contemporary era has important functional consequences.

Evidence regarding the prevalence of expiratory flow limitation (EFL) during exercise and the ventilatory response to exercise in children born preterm is limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of EFL as well as contributing factors to EFL and the ventilatory response to exercise in preterm children with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Preterm children (≤32 weeks gestational age) aged 9–12 years with (n=64) and without (n=42) BPD and term controls (n=43), performed an incremental treadmill exercise test with exercise tidal flow–volume loops. More preterm children with BPD (53%) had EFL compared with preterm children without BPD (26%) or term controls (28%) (p, Children born preterm have an increased prevalence of expiratory limitation during exercise associated with reduced lung function and lower gestational age http://ow.ly/jLsk30leOVI

The lung clearance index is a measure of ventilation distribution derived from the multiple-breath washout technique. It has been suggested as a surrogate for chest computed tomography to detect structural lung abnormalities in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF); however, the associations between lung clearance index and early structural lung disease are unclear.We assessed the ability of the lung clearance index to reflect structural lung disease on the basis of chest computed tomography across the entire pediatric age range.Lung clearance index was assessed in 42 infants (ages 0-2 yr), 39 preschool children (ages 3-6 yr), and 38 school-age children (7-16 yr) with CF before chest computed tomography and in 72 healthy control subjects. Scans were evaluated for CF-related structural lung disease using the Perth-Rotterdam Annotated Grid Morphometric Analysis for Cystic Fibrosis quantitative outcome measure.In infants with CF, lung clearance index is insensitive to structural disease (κ = -0.03 [95% confidence interval, -0.05 to 0.16]). In preschool children with CF, lung clearance index correlates with total disease extent. In school-age children, lung clearance index correlates with extent of total disease, bronchiectasis, and air trapping. In preschool and school-age children, lung clearance index has a good positive predictive value (83-86%) but a poor negative predictive value (50-55%) to detect the presence of bronchiectasis.These data suggest that lung clearance index may be a useful surveillance tool to monitor structural lung disease in preschool and school-age children with CF. However, lung clearance index cannot replace chest computed tomography to screen for bronchiectasis in this population.

Measures of ventilation distribution are promising for monitoring early lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF). This study describes the cross-sectional and longitudinal impacts of pulmonary inflammation and infection on ventilation homogeneity in infants with CF.Infants diagnosed with CF underwent multiple breath washout (MBW) testing and bronchoalveolar lavage at three time points during the first 2 years of life.Measures were obtained for 108 infants on 156 occasions. Infants with a significant pulmonary infection at the time of MBW showed increases in lung clearance index (LCI) of 0.400 units (95% CI 0.150–0.648; p=0.002). The impact was long lasting, with previous pulmonary infection leading to increased ventilation inhomogeneity over time compared to those who remained free of infection (pHaemophilus influenzae was particularly detrimental to the longitudinal lung function in young children with CF where LCI was increased by 1.069 units for each year of life (95% CI 0.484–1.612; pPulmonary infection during the first year of life is detrimental to later lung function. Therefore, strategies aimed at prevention, surveillance and eradication of pulmonary pathogens are paramount to preserve lung function in infants with CF.