Respiratory illness in late preterm infants during the first six months of life.
Late preterm infants are physiologically immature and at risk for respiratory complications. The study's objective was to determine the incidence of respiratory illnesses in a group of preterm infants (33-35 weeks) during the first six months of life.


METHODS
Parents were contacted by phone in the six months period after participating in an educational program and a short survey was performed.


RESULTS
None of the infants required admission to the intensive care unit in the newborn period. According to parents, 71% of the babies had a common cold, 9% bronchiolitis, and 3% pneumonia. Fifty four percent of the babies visited the emergency room due to respiratory illnesses and (12%) required admission.


CONCLUSIONS
Late preterm infants present respiratory illnesses during the first months of life which result in medical expenditures, emergency room visits, and hospital admissions. Educational interventions about preventive measures are needed to decrease the morbidity associated to these illnesses.
Pérez
Leilanie
L
UPR Rio Piedras and Medical Science Campus, UPR School of Medicine, Puerto Rico Health Health Science Center, San Juan.
Corchado
Zahira
Z
Rodríguez
Mariela
M
García
Dora
D
Medina
Lizaida
L
Vicens
Arian
A
Ortiz
Nerian
N
Garcĺa
Lourdes
L
Pedrogo
Yasmin
Y
D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*