Improvements in neonatal critical care have resulted in more people than ever reaching adulthood after being born prematurely. At the same time, it is becoming clearer that preterm birth can increase the risk of respiratory disease throughout a person’s lifetime. Awareness that a patient was born preterm can enable early specialist assessment and intervention when there is any concern about lung health.  ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• September 2023

Although preterm birth is associated with later deficits in lung function, there is a paucity of information on geographical differences and whether improvements occur over time, especially after surfactant was introduced. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2022
• June 2022

Shannon Elizabeth Simpson Smith SS ES BMedSci (hons), PhD PhD, MSc, BSc Co-Head, Children's Lung Health; Senior Research Fellow Program Manager 08 6319 1631 08 6319 1178 Shannon.simpson@telethonkids.org.au elizabeth.smith@telethonkids.org.au Co-Head ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2024
• May 2024

Few studies exist investigating lung function trajectories of those born preterm; however growing evidence suggests some individuals experience increasing airway obstruction throughout life. Here we use the studies identified in a recent systematic review to provide the first meta-analysis investigating the impact of preterm birth on airway obstruction measured by the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• Jun 2023

Noninvasive measurement of respiratory impedance by oscillometry can be used in young children aged from 3 years and those unable to perform forced respiratory manoeuvres. It can discriminate between healthy children and those with respiratory disease. However, its clinical application is limited by the lack of reference data for African paediatric populations. The aim of the present study was to develop reference equations for oscillometry outcomes in South African children and adolescents. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• April 2023

Shannon Simpson SS BMedSci (hons), PhD Co-Head, Children's Lung Health; Senior Research Fellow 08 6319 1631 Shannon.simpson@telethonkids.org.au Co-Head, Children's Lung Health; Senior Research Fellow Associate Professor Shannon Simpson was awarded ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Projects

An estimated 15 million babies (∼11%) are born preterm each year (before 37 weeks of gestation), the rates of which are increasing worldwide. Enhanced perinatal care, including antenatal corticosteroids, postnatal surfactant and improved respiratory management, have markedly improved survival outcomes since the 1990s, particularly for babies born very preterm (<32 weeks gestation). However, long-term pulmonary sequelae are frequent in preterm survivors and ongoing clinical management is often required. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2021
• April 2021

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. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• October 2023

Despite the substantial burden of lung disease throughout childhood in children who were born very preterm, there are no evidence-based interventions to improve lung health beyond the neonatal period. We tested the hypothesis that inhaled corticosteroid improves lung function in this population. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• August 2023

Preterm birth and subsequent neonatal ventilatory treatment disrupts development of the hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR). An attenuated HVR has been identified in preterm neonates, however it is unknown whether the attenuation persists into the second year of life. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2022
• October 2022

The upper airway may play a role in the respiratory symptoms experienced by some very preterm children and should be considered by clinicians ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2019
• October 2019

Children born preterm have impaired lung function and altered lung structure. However, there are conflicting reports on how preterm birth impacts aerobic exercise capacity in childhood. We aimed to investigate how neonatal history and a diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) impact the relationship between function and structure of the lung, and aerobic capacity in school-aged children born very preterm. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2021
• February 2021