Respiratory function in eight year old prematurely born BPD children according to hospitalisation for RSV infection in the first two years

Background: RSV lower respiratory tract infection (RSV LRTI) in the first two years is associated with abnormal airway function in school aged children born at term. Respiratory morbidity and healthcare utilisation are increased in prematurely born infants and children following RSV LRTI (1). Lung function abnormalities at school age have been frequently described in prematurely born children, but whether these are greater in those who had had RSV hospitalisation in the first two years has not been investigated. Objective: To test the hypothesis that, in prematurely born children who had bronchopulmonary dysplasia (oxygen dependency > 28 days), those with RSV hospitalisation in the first two years compared to those without would have worse lung function at eight years of age. Methods: Lung function was measured in 84 children, median gestational age 27 (24-31) weeks. Results: The 17 infants who had an RSV hospitalisation did not differ significantly in their demographics to the rest of the cohort. The RSV group, however, had poorer lung function (median % predicted): Conclusion: These results are compatible with prematurely born, BPD children who had an RSV hospitalisation in the first two years compared to those who had not having greater airways obstruction, particularly affecting small airways, at eight years of age.