Pulmonary function tests (ie, spirometry, body plethysmography, and gas transfer testing) were performed in children with a history of VLBW and BPD (n = 28) and compared with a matched preterm-born VLBW control group (n = 28). Medical history was evaluated by questionnaire.
At time of follow-up (mean age, 9.5 years), respiratory symptoms (36% vs 8%) and receipt of asthma medication (21% vs 0%) were significantly more frequent in the preterm-born children with previous BPD than in those with no history of BPD. The children with a history of BPD had significantly lower values for forced expiratory volume in 1 second (z-score 鈭?.27 vs 鈭?.4; P = .008), forced vital capacity (z-score 鈭?.39 vs 鈭?.71 z-score; P聽=聽.022), and forced expiratory flow rate at 50% of forced vital capacity (z-score 鈭?.21 vs 鈭?.04; P = .048) compared with the preterm control group.
Preterm-born children with a history of BPD are significantly more likely to have lung function abnormalities, such as airway obstruction and respiratory symptoms, at school age compared with preterm-born children without BPD.