Risk factors for respiratory morbidity at 12 to 36 months in very low birth weight premature infants previously admitted to a public neonatal intensive care unit

The aim of this paper was to estimate respiratory morbidity and its determinants for premature infants aged 12 to 36 months. The population comprised 84 infants from a cohort of very low birth weight premature infants. The outcome was the respiratory morbidity incidence rate. The relationship between the independent variables and respiratory morbidity was estimated using a Poisson regression model. From 12 to 24 months of age, 56.3% of children had experienced at least one episode of respiratory disease. >From 24 to 36 months, 38.1% of children were affected. Variables significantly associated with respiratory morbidity were bronchopulmonary dysplasia (RR = 1.9; 95%CI: 1.2-2.9), abnormal lung compliance (RR = 1.6; 95%CI: 1.1-2.3), neonatal pneumonia (RR = 2.8; 95%CI: 1.9-4.0), patent ductus arteriosus (RR = 1.6; 95%CI: 1.1-2.5), and respiratory morbidity in the first year of life (RR = 1.7; 95%CI: 1.2-2.5). The incidence of respiratory morbidity remains high in this group of high-risk infants, which calls for regular follow-up and effective interventions to prevent respiratory disease and to improve the quality of life of these children and their families.