Respiratory problems experienced by low birth weight infants can persist into adulthood, U.S. researchers report.
Young adults with a history of low birth weight (less than 5.5 pounds at birth) have an increased risk of hospitalization for respiratory illness, they found.
“Our findings suggest that not only are [low birth weight] survivors at increased risk for long-term respiratory disorders, but that these disorders are clinically significant and associated with increased health care utilization,” wrote lead researcher Dr. Eric C. Walter, of the pulmonary and critical care division at the University of Washington in Seattle. (more…)
