Respiratory morbidity at follow-up of small-for-gestational-age infants born very prematurely.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants born very prematurely had increased respiratory morbidity in the neonatal period and at follow-up. METHODS: Data were examined from infants recruited into the United Kingdom Oscillation Study (UKOS). Of the 797 infants who were born at <29 wk of gestational age, 174 infants were SGA. Overall, 92% were exposed to antenatal corticosteroids and 97% received surfactant; follow-up data at 22-28 mo were available for 367 infants. RESULTS: After adjustment for gestational age and sex, SGA infants had higher rates of supplementary oxygen dependency at 36 wk postmenstrual age (odds ratio (OR) 3.23; 95% confidence interval 2.03, 5.13), pulmonary hemorrhage (OR 3.07; 95% CI 1.82, 5.18), death (OR 3.32; 95% CI 2.13, 5.17), and postnatal corticosteroid requirement (OR 2.09; 95% CI 1.35, 3.23). After adjustment for infant and respiratory morbidity risk factors, a lower mean birth weight z-score was associated with a higher prevalence of respiratory admissions (OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.03, 1.88 for 1 SD change in z-score), cough (OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.00, 1.65), and use of chest medicines (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.01, 1.73). CONCLUSION: SGA infants who were born very prematurely, despite routine use of antenatal corticosteroids and postnatal surfactant, had increased respiratory morbidity at follow-up, which was not due to poor neonatal outcome.