Gender differences in respiratory symptoms in 19-year-old adults born preterm

Objective: To study the prevalence of respiratory and atopic symptoms in (young) adults born prematurely, differences between those who did and did not develop Bronchopulmonary Disease (BPD) at neonatal age and differences in respiratory health between males and females. Methods: Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Nation wide follow-up study, the Netherlands. Participants: 690 adults (19 year old) born with a gestational age below 32 completed weeks and/or with a birth weight less than 1500g. Controls were Dutch participants of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS). Main outcome measures: Presence of wheeze, shortness of breath, asthma, hay fever and eczema using the ECRHS-questionnaire

No association between glucocorticoid receptor polymorphisms and long-term respiratory outcome after very preterm birth

Developmen

Causes of permanent childhood hearing impairment

Item does not contain fulltextINTRODUCTION: The causes of Permanent Childhood Hearing Impairment (PCHI) are often quoted as being hereditary in 50%, acquired in 25%, and unknown in 25% of cases. Interest in the causes of PCHI has grown recently due to increasing diagnostic possibilities. We investigated the evidence for the reported distribution of these causes. METHODS: Population-based study and a systematic review. Inclusion criteria for population-based study: children born between 2003 and 2005, resident in The Netherlands at birth, known at an Audiology Center with PCHI at the age of 3-5 years. The causes of PCHI were determined prospectively by detection of congenital cytomegalovirus on dried blood spots and/or genetic diagnostic investigations in addition to reviewing data from medical records. A systematic review was carried out using three terms (hearing loss, infant, and etiology) and limited to articles published between January 1997 and July 2009. Main outcome measures were: the (weighted) proportions of the various causes of PCHI following diagnostic investigations. RESULTS: In the study-population (n = 185) a hereditary cause was found in 38.9%, acquired cause in 29.7%, miscellaneous cause in 7.1%, and the cause remained unknown in 24.3%. The systematic review of the literature (n = 9 articles) resulted in a weighted mean of 30.4% hereditary, 19.2% acquired, and 48.3% unknown causes of PCHI. DISCUSSION: The systematic review and the results of the population-based study provided little support for the generally accepted distribution of causes of PCHI

Gender differences in respiratory symptoms in 19-year-old adults born preterm

Objective: To study the prevalence of respiratory and atopic symptoms in (young) adults born prematurely, differences between those who did and did not develop Bronchopulmonary Disease (BPD) at neonatal age and differences in respiratory health between males and females. Methods: Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Nation wide follow-up study, the Netherlands. Participants: 690 adults (19 year old) born with a gestational age below 32 completed weeks and/or with a birth weight less than 1500g. Controls were Dutch participants of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS). Main outcome measures: Presence of wheeze, shortness of breath, asthma, hay fever and eczema using the ECRHS-questionnaire Results: The prevalence of doctor-diagnosed asthma was significantly higher in the ex-preterms than in the general population, whereas eczema and hay fever were significant lower. Women reported more symptoms than men. Preterm women vs controls: asthma 13% vs 5% (p<0.001); hay fever 8% vs 20% (p<0.001); eczema 10% vs 42% (p<0.001). Preterm men vs controls: asthma 9% vs 4% (p=0.007); hay fever 8% vs 17% (p=0.005); eczema 9% vs 31% (p<0.001) Preterm women reported more wheeze and shortness of breath during exercise (sob) than controls: wheeze 30% vs 22% (p=0.009); sob 27% vs 16% (p<0.001); 19-year-old women with BPD reported a higher prevalence of doctor diagnosed asthma compared to controls (24% vs 5% p <0.001) and shortness of breath during exercise (43% vs 16% p=0.008). The prevalence of reported symptoms by men with BPD were comparable with the controls. Conclusions: Our large follow-up study shows a higher prevalence of asthma, wheeze and shortness of breath in the prematurely born young adults. 19-year-old women reported more respiratory symptoms than men. Compared to the general population atopic diseases as hay fever and eczema were reported less often. © 2005 Vrijlandt et al., licensee BioMed Central Ltd

No association between transient hypothyroxinemia of prematurity and neurodevelopmental outcome in young adulthood

Context: Transient hypothyroxinemia of prematurity (THoP) has been associated with neurodevelopmental impairment in infancy and childhood. It is not known whether these relations persist into adulthood. Objective: The objective was to examine whether there is an effect of THoP on intelligence quotient (IQ) score and motor functioning at a young adult age. Design: This study was part of the 19-year follow-up of the Project On Preterm and Small-forgestational-age birth (POPS) cohort, which included infants born very preterm (ie,32 wk) and/or with a very low birth weight (ie, 1500 g). Setting: This was a multicenter study. Patients: There were 398 19-year-old participants of the POPS cohort, of whom 120 had THoP. Exposure: T4 concentrations were obtained through the national neonatal screening program for congenital hypothyroidism.THoP was defined as a total T4 concentration< -3 SD of the daily mean (approximately 60 nmol/L). Main Outcome Measures: Main outcome measures were IQ and motor functioning, measured with the digital Multicultural Capacities Test-Intermediate Level and a revised version of Touwen’s examination of minor neurological dysfunction, respectively. Results: THoP was not associated with IQ score (mean difference, 0 [95% confidence interval,3.8 to 3.8] points) or motor function (mean difference, 0.6 [95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 2.5] points) after adjustment for demographic and perinatal characteristics. Conclusions: No associations between THoP and neurodevelopmental outcome at age 19 years were found

Vroeggeboorte, intra-uteriene groeiachterstand en lichamelijke ziehten op de volwassen leeftijd; resultaten van 19 jaar POPS-follow-up

Infants born very prematurely are at greater risk of neurosensory handicaps and developmental problems than are term born children. Premature birth, intrauterine growth retardation, and the combination of both, may also be risk factors for physical disease in adulthood. As this aspect has been little studied so far, we looked into its first signs in the pops-cohort (Project On Preterm and Small for gestational age infants). Prematurity seems to be a risk factor for the development of insulin resistance. The risk is extra high for individuals showing disposition to obesity at later age. Having experienced intrauterine growth retardation even increases the risk. Former premature infants on average show higher mean systolic blood pressure, yet unrelated to degree of intrauterine growth retardation. Renal function (clearance and protein excretion) in young adulthood is less favorable for prematurely born individuals who also experienced intrauterine growth retardation. Prematurely born children show more airway symptoms and poorer lung function in young adulthood. We conclude that neonatal follow up is not only indicated for very premature infants but also for children who experienced severe intrauterine or neonatal growth retardation. Pediatricians ought to inform parents and children as well as the family doctor that prematurity or intrauterine growth retardation may be risk factors for chronic disease at adult age. Active prevention of obesity from an early age onwards is indicated for prematurely born children who experienced intrauterine growth retardation. Family doctors should be extra alert to the development of particularly hypertension and microalbuminuria when these children reach young adult age; a regular check-up for example every two years is recommended. Awareness of their medical history may stimulate the children themselves to prevent obesity, take up sports, and never start smoking