Main description:

This book presents pulmonary outcomes of prematurity, from their emergence in infancy through to their consequences in adulthood. With an increasing number of preterm births and more infants surviving, there is now a larger population of adults with lung disease originating in infancy requiring specialized care. Looking at the whole group of preterm infants, not just those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, this text covers a wide spectrum of pulmonary outcomes, including: pulmonary hypertension, wheezing, and alterations in sleep. The chapter authors focus on critically appraising what is and is not known about each outcome and suggest key questions that still need to be answered. Respiratory Outcomes in Preterm Infants: Sequelae from Infancy through Adulthood is an ideal reference for the multidisciplinary group that cares for these preterm infants and the adults they become, including: neonatologists, pediatric pulmonologists, pediatricians, adult pulmonologists, primary care physicians, nurses, and fellows.

Contents:

The Problem of the Preterm Lung: Definitions, History, Epidemiology.- Long-Term Structural Changes in the Preterm Lung.- The Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Diagnosis: Definitions, Utility, Limitations.- Infection: Catalyst and Consequences of Pulmonary Morbidity.- Why Do Preterm Infants Wheeze: Clues from the Lab.- Why Do Preterm Infants Wheeze: Clues from Epidemiology.- Pulmonary Hypertension.- Airway Outcomes.- Sleep.- The Adolescent and Young Adult Patient.- Diagnostic Modalities: Pulmonary Function Testing and Imaging.- Prevention and Treatment of Post-NICU Morbidity.- Healthcare Utilization and Economic Impact