title: Lung Function and Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness in Adults Born Prematurely. A Cohort Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bronchopulmonary dysplasia and the long-term consequences of prematurity are underrecognized entities, unfamiliar to adult clinicians. Well described by the pediatric community, these young adults are joining the ranks of a growing population of adults with chronic lung disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the quality of life, pulmonary lung function, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, body composition, and trends in physical activity of adults born prematurely, with or without respiratory complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four groups of young adults born in Canada between 1987 and 1993 were enrolled in a cohort study: (1) preterm subjects with no neonatal respiratory complications, (2) preterm subjects with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, (3) preterm subjects with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and (4) subjects born at term. The following measurements were compared across the four groups: health-related quality of life, respiratory health, pulmonary function, methacholine challenge test results, and sedentary behavior and physical activity level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adult subjects who had bronchopulmonary dysplasia in infancy had mild airflow obstruction (FEV1, 80% predicted; FEV1/FCV ratio, 70) and gas trapping compared with others. They also had less total active energy expenditure and more time spent in sedentary behavior compared with subjects born at term. All preterm groups had a high prevalence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness compared with term subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a population-derived, cross-sectional study, we confirmed previous reports that adults 21 or 22 years of age who were born prematurely with neonatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia are more likely to have airflow obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and pulmonary gas trapping than subjects born prematurely without bronchopulmonary dysplasia or at term. Clinicians who care for adults need to be better informed of the long-term respiratory consequences of premature birth to assist young patients in maintaining lung function and health.
authors.affiliation: 1 Respiratory Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit.|2 Respiratory Division, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine.
authors.forename: Jennifer Sophie
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Landry
authors.affiliation: 1 Respiratory Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit.
authors.forename: Genevieve M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.affiliation: 1 Respiratory Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit.
authors.forename: Pei Z
authors.initials: PZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: 1 Respiratory Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit.|4 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benedetti
authors.affiliation: 1 Respiratory Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit.|2 Respiratory Division, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine.|5 Department of Kinesiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taivassalo
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D020380:Needs Assessment; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: bronchopulmonary dysplasia; preterm birth; respiratory distress syndrome