Gender differences in respiratory symptoms in 19-year-old adults born preterm

Objective: To study the prevalence of respiratory and atopic symptoms in ( young) adults born prematurely, differences between those who did and did not develop Bronchopulmonary Disease (BPD) at neonatal age and differences in respiratory health between males and females. Methods: Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Nation wide follow-up study, the Netherlands. Participants: 690 adults ( 19 year old) born with a gestational age below 32 completed weeks and/or with a birth weight less than 1500 g. Controls were Dutch participants of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS). Main outcome measures: Presence of wheeze, shortness of breath, asthma, hay fever and eczema using the ECRHS-questionnaire Results: The prevalence of doctor-diagnosed asthma was significantly higher in the ex-preterms than in the general population, whereas eczema and hay fever were significant lower. Women reported more symptoms than men. Preterm women vs controls: asthma 13% vs 5% ( p < 0.001); hay fever 8% vs 20% ( p < 0.001); eczema 10% vs 42% ( p < 0.001). Preterm men vs controls: asthma 9% vs 4% ( p = 0.007); hay fever 8% vs 17% ( p = 0.005); eczema 9% vs 31% ( p < 0.001) Preterm women reported more wheeze and shortness of breath during exercise ( sob) than controls: wheeze 30% vs 22% ( p = 0.009); sob 27% vs 16% ( p < 0.001); 19-year-old women with BPD reported a higher prevalence of doctor diagnosed asthma compared to controls (24% vs 5% p < 0.001) and shortness of breath during exercise (43% vs 16% p = 0.008). The prevalence of reported symptoms by men with BPD were comparable with the controls. Conclusion: Our large follow-up study shows a higher prevalence of asthma, wheeze and shortness of breath in the prematurely born young adults. 19- year-old women reported more respiratory symptoms than men. Compared to the general population atopic diseases as hay fever and eczema were reported less often.