Birth Measurements Help Predict Lung function in Teen Years

A new research discovered that doctors can predict the lung health of people during their teen years with the help of factors such as birth weight, gestational age, growth and other measures at 8 years.

With every inhale, lungs receive the air from the atmosphere through the nose and mouth. The billions of microorganisms in air we breathe in enter the lungs and lead to respiratory infections. Some of the infections are cold, pneumonia and bronchitis. The lung function tests measure how well a person's lungs work.

The latest study by the European Lung Foundation found that certain factors - birth weight, gestational age at birth and lung function, growth and other measures at 8 years - help in predicting lung function between 14-17 years of age. This study is part of the growing research that aims to look at how initial life factors can impact the development of diseases into adulthood.

To prove this, they worked on the data retrieved from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Mothers and Children (ALSPAC) that included more than 3000 children. Initially, the weight and gestational age at birth was measured followed by weight, height and function of lung at 8 years. The aim was to check if factors in infancy and early childhood helped explain lung function at the age of 14-17 years.

Using certain statistical models, the researchers confirmed that a person's lung function during the mid to late teenage years can be estimated by the measurement of the said factors taken at the age of 8 years and at birth. However, it was seen that birth weight had just had a minor effect on lung function during the teenage years.

The study indicates that measurements taken throughout childhood can be used to predict the development of a person's lung function in future and this is referred to as 'tracking'. Poor lung function during early childhood is linked to poor lung function in future.

Dr W. John Watkins, lead author of the study from Cardiff University, UK, said: "This is an important finding as the study suggests that it may be possible to identify children who may develop lung disease as adults. We know that certain risk factors, such as environmental pollution or tobacco smoking, can lead to adult disease. If we are able to predict which children are more likely to develop adult disease, it will be even more important for us to help prevent exposure to risk factors as they grow up. This represents a key intervention point for clinicians."

The finding was documented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress, Munich.