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Many survivors of preterm birth (<37 weeks gestation) have lifelong respiratory deficits, the drivers of which remain unknown. Influencers of pathophysiological outcomes are often detectable at the gene level and pinpointing these differences can help guide targeted research and interventions. This study provides the first transcriptomic analysis of primary nasal airway epithelial cells in survivors of preterm birth at approximately 1 year of age.
Surfactant is a well-established therapy for preterm neonates affected by respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). The goals of different methods of surfactant administration are to reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation and the severity of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD); however, the optimal administration method remains unknown.
Data on static compliance of the chest wall (Ccw) in preterm infants are scarce. We characterized the static compliance of the lung and Ccw to determine their relative contribution to static compliance of the respiratory system in very preterm infants at 36 wk postmenstrual age. We also aimed to investigate how these compliances were influenced by the presence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and impacted breathing variables.
Lung inflammation and impaired alveolarization precede bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Glucocorticoids are anti-inflammatory and reduce ventilator requirements in preterm infants. However, high-dose glucocorticoids inhibit alveolarization. The effect of glucocorticoids on lung function and structure in preterm newborns exposed to antenatal inflammation is unknown. We hypothesise that postnatal low-dose dexamethasone reduces ventilator requirements, prevents inflammation and BPD-like lung pathology, following antenatal inflammation.
Perinatal inflammation increases the risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm neonates, but the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain largely unknown. Given their anti-inflammatory and regenerative capacity, multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPC) are a promising cell-based therapy to prevent and/or treat the negative pulmonary consequences of perinatal inflammation in the preterm neonate.
Childhood outcomes following preterm birth are widely published, however long-term adult outcomes are less well described. We aimed to determine the quality of life and burden of co-morbidities experienced by preterm-born young adults in Western Australia.
The incidence and severity of heatwaves are increasing globally with concomitant health complications. Pregnancy is a critical time in the life course at risk of adverse health outcomes due to heat exposure. Dynamic physiological adaptations, which include altered thermoregulatory pathways, occur in pregnancy.
Contemporary models of NICU care emphasize the critical role of parents in supporting their infant's development. Fathers play an important, but underutilized, role throughout their infant's NICU journey. This narrative review describes the main direct and indirect mechanisms through which fathers support the development of their NICU infant, and the barriers and facilitators to this support as described in current research.
Preterm birth and subsequent neonatal ventilatory treatment disrupts development of the hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR). An attenuated HVR has been identified in preterm neonates, however it is unknown whether the attenuation persists into the second year of life.
Docosahexaenoic 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.