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Collecting exhaled breath condensate from non-ventilated preterm-born infants: a modified methodExhaled breath condensate (EBC) collection is a non-invasive, safe method for measurement of biomarkers in patients with lung disease. Other methods of obtaining samples from the lungs, such as bronchoalveolar lavage, are invasive and require anaesthesia/sedation in neonates and infants. EBC is particularly appealing for assessing biomarkers in preterm-born infants, a population at risk of ongoing lung disease.
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Ventilatory response and stability of oxygen saturation during a hypoxic challenge in very preterm infantsPreterm infants have immature control of breathing and impaired pulmonary gas exchange. We hypothesized that infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) have a blunted ventilatory response and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2 ) instability during a hypoxic challenge.
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Neonatal Docosahexaenoic Acid in Preterm Infants and Intelligence at 5 YearsDocosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a component of neural tissue. Because its accretion into the brain is greatest during the final trimester of pregnancy, infants born before 29 weeks' gestation do not receive the normal supply of DHA. The effect of this deficiency on subsequent cognitive development is not well understood.
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Vitamin A supplementation in very-preterm or very-low-birth-weight infants to prevent morbidity and mortality: A systematic review and meta-Analysis of randomized trialsA previous systematic review showed that intramuscular vitamin A supplementation reduced the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. However, more recent studies have questioned this finding.
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Increasing airway obstruction through life following bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a meta-analysisFew studies exist investigating lung function trajectories of those born preterm; however growing evidence suggests some individuals experience increasing airway obstruction throughout life. Here we use the studies identified in a recent systematic review to provide the first meta-analysis investigating the impact of preterm birth on airway obstruction measured by the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio.
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Unstable SpO2 in preterm infants: The key role of reduced ventilation to perfusion ratioInstability of peripheral oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2) in preterm infants is correlated with late disability and is poorly understood. We hypothesised that a reduced ventilation to perfusion ratio (VA/Q) is the key predisposing factor for SpO2 instability.
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The relationship between intrauterine foetal growth trajectories and blood pressure in young adultsPrevious studies have reported an association between low birthweight and elevated blood pressure (BP) in adulthood, but few have examined the relationship between foetal growth and adult BP.
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Outcomes in extremely low birth weight (≤500 g) preterm infants: A Western Australian experienceExtremely preterm infant survival has significantly improved with advanced neonatal care; however outcomes of infants born with birth weight ≤500 g remain poor. We aimed to review outcomes of this cohort in our Institution.
A new study is helping to identify treatment options to improve the lung function of premature babies, after it was determined survivors of preterm birth were at risk of declining lung health.
Research
Unravelling the respiratory health path across the lifespan for survivors of preterm birthMany survivors of preterm birth will have abnormal lung development, reduced peak lung function and, potentially, an increased rate of physiological lung function decline, each of which places them at increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease across the lifespan.