New research from Perth's The Kids Research Institute Australia shows that babies born premature continue to have lung problems well into childhood.
The research results, published in the international journal Thorax, show structural lung abnormalities in children born preterm were common and were associated with low lung function and more severe respiratory symptoms. Lead author and The Kids researcher Dr Shannon Simpson said babies born very preterm are at significant risk of ongoing lung disease.
"The lungs are one of the last organs in the body to develop as a baby grows in-utero so when a baby is born preterm, their lungs may not be fully developed," said Dr Simpson. "This puts them at risk of lifelong lung disease."
"This study showed that babies born very preterm are at significant risk of ongoing lung disease with considerable structural abnormalities, poor lung function and consequent respiratory issues reported at 9-11 years of age." The study tested the lung function of 221 children at 9–11 years of age - 58 children born at term (controls) and 163 preterm children (at ≤32 week's gestation, of which 99 had bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a form of chronic lung disease affecting newborns).
The results show that preterm children have significant levels of respiratory disease at 9-11 years with structural abnormalities present in almost all preterm children (92%) and recent breathing difficulties reported in approximately half of the group.
The study also found that the earlier the baby was born, the worse their test scores, with lung function improving for every additional week of gestation.
Dr Simpson said bronchopulmonary dysplasia remains the most significant chronic lung complication of premature birth and with treatment of preterm babies having changed so dramatically over the past few decades, more needed to be known about the long term impact of lung development in babies born earlier than expected.
"This study provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of lung structure and function in school-aged children born very preterm," said Dr Simpson. "This information will help determine how we treat premmie babies at birth as well as the way we can nurture their lung growth over time."
This research study was done in collaboration with health professionals and researchers at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, King Edward Memorial Hospital, The University of Western Australia and Curtin University.
It was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Raine Foundation.
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Access the research here.