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ObjectiveTo investigate growth trajectories from age 2.5 to 19 years in individuals born before 26 weeks of gestation (extremely preterm; EP) compared with term-born controls.MethodsMultilevel modelling of growth data from the EPICure study, a prospective 1995 birth cohort of 315 EP participants born in the UK and Ireland and 160 term-born controls recruited at school age. Height, weight, head circumference and body mass index (BMI) z-scores were derived from UK standards at ages 2.5, 6, 11 and 19 years.Results129 (42%) EP children were assessed at 19 years. EP individuals were on average 4.0 cm shorter and 6.8 kg lighter with a 1.5 cm smaller head circumference relative to controls at 19 years. Relative to controls, EP participants grew faster in weight by 0.06 SD per year (95% CI 0.05 to 0.07), in head circumference by 0.04 SD (95% CI 0.03 to 0.05), but with no catch-up in height. For the EP group, because of weight catch-up between 6 and 19 years, BMI was significantly elevated at 19 years to +0.32 SD; 23.4% had BMI >25 kg/m2and 6.3% >30 kg/m2but these proportions were similar to those in control subjects. EP and control participants showed similar pubertal development in early adolescence, which was not associated with height at 19 years in either study group. Growth through childhood was related to birth characteristics and to neonatal feeding practices.ConclusionsEP participants remained shorter and lighter and had smaller head circumferences than reference data or controls in adulthood but had elevated BMI.

Introduction\ud Current evidence supports nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) weaning. Heated humidified high‐flow nasal cannula (HHFNC) reduces NCPAP time in infants less than 28 weeks gestational age (GA) without increasing morbidity. The aim of the study was to compare the two most frequently used HHFNC devices in weaning from NCPAP.\ud \ud Methodology\ud We performed a retrospective matched‐pair case‐control study of infants less than or equal to 28 GA born in a single tertiary neonatal center managed with Optiflow or Vapotherm after being weaned from NCPAP. Patients were matched for antenatal steroid doses, delivery mode, birth plurality, GA, birthweight, gender, surfactant doses, length of mechanical ventilation, and length of NCPAP. Outcome measures were duration of HHFNC, low‐flow nasal cannula, nasal bridge lesions, pneumothorax, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, postnatal steroids, necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, intraventricular hemorrhage, retinopathy of prematurity, length of stay, discharge weight, and mortality. Results were displayed as median (interquartile range) or ratio (percentage). Statistical analysis was performed using Mann‐Whitney U and χ 2 tests.\ud \ud Results\ud 70 patients were recruited retrospectively. Thirty‐five infants were weaned from NCPAP to Optiflow and 35 infants to Vapotherm with gestational ages and birthweights of 27 GA (26‐27) and 1010 g (835‐1165) and 27 GA (26‐28) and 960 g (788‐1191), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in any outcome measure. Infants managed with Vapotherm required a not statistically significant shorter length of time on HHFNC and low‐flow nasal cannula.\ud \ud Conclusions\ud Optiflow and Vapotherm seem to be equally effective and safe for weaning from NCPAP. However, infants weaned to Vapotherm appear to spend less time on non‐invasive respiratory support.