Work

Lung trajectories into adulthood of preterm born survivors and the influence of sex

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The reader will be able to • Summarise the evidence on lung function trajectories from childhood into adulthood among individuals born preterm. • Examine sex differences in lung development and respiratory outcomes after preterm birth, including the potential protective role of female sex hormones. • Inform clinicians about the importance of life-course respiratory monitoring and the potential for early intervention in individuals born preterm. Preterm birth is increasingly recognised as a major determinant of lifelong respiratory health. Longitudinal studies consistently demonstrate that individuals born preterm have persistently worse lung function from childhood to adulthood compared with their term born peers. These adverse effects vary across gestational categories including extremely preterm, very preterm and moderate-late preterm birth, and are further exacerbated by bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Pooled analyses show that children or adults born preterm without BPD had 7.2% [95 confidence interval (CI): 5.6 to 8.7%] lower percent predicted FEV 1 than term-born individuals. The %FEV 1 deficit was greater in those with BPD: 18.9% [16.7 to 21.1%] lower for the BPD 36 group when compared with the term born group. Lung function deficits in pre-term born survivors persist into adult life. Preterm birth is also associated with increased risk of COPD in later life. There is evidence that male sex confers additional vulnerability in pre-term survivors, with recent literature showing poorer lung function in males compared with females. Understanding these relationships is central to developing future phenotyping frameworks, enabling early identification of those at greatest risk, and informing surveillance strategies aimed at preserving lung function and preventing early onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Source: Paediatric Respiratory Reviews

DOI: 10.1016/j.prrv.2025.12.001

Authors: Dinh Son Bui, Cassidy Du Berry, Nur Sabrina Idrose, Jeanie L.Y. Cheong, Shyamali Dharmage

Institutions: The University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Monash University, Royal Women's Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Neonatal Respiratory Health Research

Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $5,030