Cardiovascular Outcomes in Children who had Chronic Lung Disease of Prematurity in Infancy

Aims: We compared cardiovascular outcomes including augmentation index in preterm-born children with and without CLD with term-born children. Methods: 602 children (mean age 10.0 years, range 8 – 12) from our ongoing RHiNO (Respiratory Health Outcomes in Neonates) study were included. Of 444 preterm-born children, 111 had CLD (mean gestation 28.4 (23-34) weeks, birthweight 1268 (450-3459) g) and 333 did not (32.0 (26-34) weeks, 1843 (2155-4900) g); and 158 were term-born (39.8 (37-42) weeks, 3465 (2155-4900) g). Each child underwent non-invasive measurement of central and peripheral vascular function and arterial stiffness by an oscillometric device. Results: Encouragingly, systolic blood pressure, arterial pressure, pulse pressure, augmentation index, pulse wave velocity, transit time, stroke volume and cardiac output were similar in all three groups. However, mean peripheral and central diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were higher in the no-CLD preterm group compared to the term group (peripheral DBP 57.6 (32-83) mmHg and 55.5 (35 – 79) mmHg respectively, p<0.05; central DPB 57.7 (32-83) mmHg and 55.5 (35 – 79) mmHg respectively, p<0.05). Mean peripheral and central DPB in the CLD group (57.4 (30-84) mmHg and 57.3 (30-84) mmHg respectively) did not differ from the no-CLD and term groups. Discussion: Despite developing lung disease in infancy, the CLD group had similar cardiovascular outcomes to term-born children although DPB was marginally increased in preterm-born children who did not have CLD in infancy.