Evolution and Determinants of Lung Function until Late Infancy among Infants Born Preterm

To investigate the evolution of lung function in preterm infants with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and to determine the perinatal characteristics associated with indexes of lung function in later infancy. Longitudinal lung function assessments were performed at approximately 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of corrected age in preterm infants. Perinatal characteristics were further analyzed to ascertain the determinants of lung function indexes. Although all preterm infants (n = 121; 61 without BPD and 60 with BPD) exhibited decreased lung function in early infancy (6 months of age), after body length was adjusted for, only infants with BPD exhibited poor performance. Furthermore, the lung function of infants with mild to moderate BPD caught up gradually, but the generally poor lung function performance of infants with severe BPD, especially in forced expiratory flow, persisted until later age (24 months). Regarding perinatal characteristics, the z-score of body length at the time of examination and total number of days on positive-pressure ventilation are the major determinants of lung function in later infancy.