American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Aug 2020
Respiratory and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Survivors of Extremely Preterm Birth at 19 Years.
Rationale: Growth and development during adolescence may modify the respiratory and vascular differences seen among extremely preterm (EP) individuals in childhood and early adolescence. Objectives: To assess the trajectory of respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes during transition to adulthood in a national longitudinal cohort study of births before 26 weeks of gestation in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Methods: A total of 129 EP participants and 65 control subjects attended for a center-based evaluation at 19 years of age. ⋯ The augmentation index was 6% higher in the EP group and associated with increased total peripheral resistance (difference in means, 96.4 [95% confidence interval, 26.6-166.2] dyne/s/cm-5) and elevation in central, but not peripheral, blood pressure. Central systolic and diastolic blood pressures increased more quickly during adolescence in the EP group than in the control group. Conclusions: Clinicians should address both cardiovascular and respiratory risks in adult survivors of extremely preterm birth.