Preterm birth and exercise capacity: what do we currently know?

The long-term cardiopulmonary outcomes following preterm birth during the surfactant era remain unclear. Respiratory symptoms, particularly exertional symptoms, are common in preterm children. Therefore, cardiopulmonary exercise testing may provide insights into the pathophysiology driving exertional respiratory symptoms in those born preterm. This review aims to outline the current knowledge of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in the assessment of children born preterm in the surfactant era.

Citation:
O’Dea CA, Beaven ML, Wilson AC, Smith EF, Maiorana A, Simpson SJ. Preterm birth and exercise capacity: what do we currently know? Front Pediatr. 2023;11

Keywords:
bronchopulmonary dysplasia; exercise and lung disease; lung physiology; pediatric exercise physiology; pediatric lung disease

Abstract:
The long-term cardiopulmonary outcomes following preterm birth during the surfactant era remain unclear. Respiratory symptoms, particularly exertional symptoms, are common in preterm children. Therefore, cardiopulmonary exercise testing may provide insights into the pathophysiology driving exertional respiratory symptoms in those born preterm. This review aims to outline the current knowledge of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in the assessment of children born preterm in the surfactant era.