Impaired lung function and health status in adult survivors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Abstract

More infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) now survive to adulthood, but little is known regarding persisting respiratory impairment. We report respiratory symptoms, lung function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adult BPD survivors compared with preterm (non-BPD) and fullterm controls. Respiratory symptoms (European Community Respiratory Health Survey) and HRQoL (EuroQol (EQ)-5D) were measured in 72 adult BPD survivors (mean±SD study age 24.1±4.0 years; mean±SD gestational age 27.1±2.1 weeks; and mean±SD birth weight 955±256 g) cared for in the regional neonatal intensive care unit, Royal Maternity Hospital, Belfast, UK (between 1978 and 1993). These were compared with 57 non-BPD controls (mean±SD study age 25.3±4.0 years; mean±SD gestational age 31.0±2.5 weeks; and mean±SD birth weight 1238±222 g) and 78 full-term controls (mean±SD study age 25.7±3.8 years; mean±SD gestational age 39.7±1.4 weeks; and mean±SD birth weight 3514±456 g) cared for at the same hospital. Spirometry was performed on 56 BPD, 40 non-BPD and 55 full-term participants. BPD subjects were twice as likely to report wheeze and three times more likely to use asthma medication than controls. BPD adults had significantly lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s and forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of forced vital capacity than both the preterm non-BPD and full-term controls (all p<0.01). Mean EQ-5D was 6 points lower in BPD adults compared to full-term controls (p<0.05). BPD survivors have significant respiratory and quality of life impairment persisting into adulthood.