Long term respiratory complications in preterm children

S7C - Potpourri
LONG TERM RESPIRATORY COMPLICATIONS IN PRETERM CHILDREN

Kavetha Ramalingam
Raja Perempuan Bainun Hospital, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Pulmonary disease is a common sequela of premature birth. It is an important cause of infant mortality and morbidity. The risk of chronic lung disease is related to the degree of prematurity and severity of the initial lung disease and to the duration of mechanical ventilation and oxygen administration. Despite better perinatal management, the incidence of chronic lung disease has continued to rise, possibly because of increasing lung immaturity with the survival of increasingly premature infants. Premature infants with respiratory disease have prolonged and recurrent hospitalizations. 

The lecture will highlight the respiratory complications of premature infants through sharing of cases. These cases illustrate the course of severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, focusing on the clinical features and management that can be offered. With support, respiratory symptoms and lung function impairment related to prematurity seem to improve over time, but premature birth increases the likelihood of lung function impairment in late childhood. Therefore long-term follow up is necessary.