Adult Survivors of Preterm Birth What Spirometry Conceals, Exercise Tests Reveal

摘要

On a global scale, the number of preterm births has steadily increased during the past several decades (1). Preterm births (<37 wk gestation) currently account for 11% of all births worldwide (1). Long-term respiratory impairment and reduced exercise capacity are well-documented complications of extreme preterm birth (2-5). Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a chronic respiratory condition mainly affecting infants born at less than 28 weeks gestational age, can develop in up to 40% of infants born prematurely with very low birth weight (6). Preterm infants with BPD are at higher risk for subsequent development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and possibly a more rapid decline of lung function, than preterm infants without BPD (7, 8).