[Click! Health] Low Birth Weight Newborns Have Reduced Lung Function... Caregiver Attention Needed

Babies born underweight may have poorer lung function compared to their peers, requiring special attention from caregivers.

According to a study analyzing the correlation between prematurity, birth weight, and current lung function in 566 pediatric asthma patients in Korea, conducted by Professor Jin-ho Yoo of the Pediatric Asthma and Atopy Center at Seoul Asan Medical Center and Professor Hwan-soo Kim of the Department of Pediatrics at Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University, patients with birth weights below the 10th percentile showed significantly lower lung function indicators compared to other patients. The research team established a pediatric asthma cohort of children aged 5 to 15 receiving treatment at 19 hospitals nationwide, centered around the Pediatric Asthma Research Group of the Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease, and conducted this study on 566 patients.

Professor Yoo Jin-ho of the Pediatric Asthma and Atopy Center at Asan Medical Center in Seoul is seen treating a pediatric asthma patient.

The forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was on average 92.2% and 92.3% of normal in the premature and normal groups, respectively, while the forced vital capacity (FVC) was 99.8% and 97.8% of normal, showing no significant differences in lung function indicators based on prematurity.

However, there were significant differences based on birth weight. Using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, infants born at the same gestational age were classified as low birth weight neonates if their weight was below the 10th percentile, macrosomia if above the 90th percentile, and normal birth weight neonates if within the middle 80%. The study analyzed the relationship between birth weight and current lung function accordingly.

As a result, macrosomic patients had an average FEV1 of 94.6% of normal, normal birth weight patients averaged 90.9%, and low birth weight patients averaged 86.4%, indicating that lower birth weight was associated with significantly reduced lung function. Similarly, FVC was 101.8% of normal in macrosomic patients, 97.2% in normal birth weight patients, and 94.3% in low birth weight patients, showing substantial differences based on birth weight at birth.

Until now, the medical community believed that prematurity was more closely related to lung function development than birth weight. However, this study on pediatric asthma patients with lung disease revealed that birth weight has a greater impact on lung function than prematurity.

Human lung function increases through development and growth from birth, peaks in the early twenties, and then gradually declines continuously. Pediatric asthma patients may not reach normal peak lung function in adulthood and are at higher risk of greater lung function decline during aging compared to those without asthma. Among pediatric asthma patients, lower lung function not only increases the risk of asthma exacerbation but also raises the risk of developing other pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) later in life.

Professor Jin-ho Yoo of the Pediatric Asthma and Atopy Center at Seoul Asan Medical Center stated, “The degree of lung function development at birth or very early in life greatly influences the occurrence and progression of pediatric asthma, and poorer lung function increases the risk of asthma exacerbation. Currently, there is no fundamental method to improve lung function in patients with developmental lung function deficits, so parents of pediatric asthma patients born underweight need to exercise special caution.”

He added, “We will continue research on pediatric asthma, including whether respiratory rehabilitation can improve lung function, to help patients lead healthier daily lives.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.