Preterm Lung Function and Exercise Response Measured by OEP

Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Premature Birth

Treatments: Diagnostic Test: Lung function + exercise tests

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04239287

09040

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will explore lung function and respiratory health in school-aged children who were born prematurely at <32 weeks gestation. It will involve full lung function assessment, a questionnaire and discussion about respiratory health, and an exercise test using optoelectronic plethysmography (OEP) to measure breathing patterns.

Full description

Preterm are born during a critical stage of lung development, and can have abnormalities in lung function that persist with age. Previous studies have shown that children with BPD have reduced lung function and limited exercise capacity. These studies have used conventional lung function testing which requires a tight fitting mask. This is uncomfortable, may alter normal breathing patterns and cannot measure changes in total lung volume.

Optoelectronic plethysmography (OEP) indirectly measures lung volumes and breathing patterns using cameras to track the position of marker stickers on the chest, back and abdomen. It is comfortable, does not require a mask and allows us to track changes in total lung volume.

This study will use standard lung function testing and OEP to measure lung function and breathing patterns at rest and during exercise in school-aged children born prematurely, compared to healthy children born at full term. All participants will complete standard lung function tests, a questionnaire and structured interview to qualitatively assess respiratory health, and an exercise test using OEP to assess how breathing changes with exercise.

Enrollment: 60 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 8 to 16 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 8-16 years
• Born at <32 weeks gestation (preterm) or >37 weeks gestation (controls)
• Parental consent obtained

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to comply with test procedure
• Respiratory illness within last 2 weeks
• Cardiac disease (excludes ligated PDA)
• Neuromuscular disease

Trial design

60 participants in 2 patient groups

Preterm

Description:

Children age 8-16 years born at \<32 weeks gestation.

Treatment:

Diagnostic Test: Lung function + exercise tests

Control

Description:

Children age 8-16 years born at \>37 weeks gestation

Treatment:

Diagnostic Test: Lung function + exercise tests