AIMS

We wish to address three questions using the ALSPAC data:

AIM ONE:

We hypothesise that IUGR has a greater effect on lung function abnormalities then prematurity alone. We wish to identify children who were born prematurely (less than =37 weeks gestation) and who did or did not have IUGR (birthweight less than 10%) and compare results for lung function (especially FEV1.0, FVC, FEFs) to determine if growth retardation has a greater effect on lung function abnormalities then prematurity alone. Lung function data from term infants will be used as a reference population. The data will be sub-divided into different gestation ranges (24 - 28 weeks, 29 - 32 weeks, and 33 - 36 weeks). Multiple logistic regression analyses will be used to address this question.

AIM TWO:

We hypothesise that catch up growth is associated with better lung function parameters obtained at school age. The growth of infants (born at less than 37 weeks gestation) who had IUGR at birth will be assess and divided into catch up growth (defined as crossing at least two percentile compared to birth weight) and those who remain growth retarded. The lung function parameters at school age will be compared between these two groups with and without catch up growth.

AIM THREE:

The relationship between lung function abnormalities and early development of cardiac disease clearly remains of interest. We are aware of the need for the investigators to use the recently acquired arterial stiffness data for their own studies but in collaboration with John Deanfield's group, we wish to investigate the links between lung function abnormalities and arterial stiffness. We wish to look at both children who were born prematurely (less than 37 weeks divided gestations as above) and those who were born at term (greater than =37 weeks) and compare the arterial stiffness data with abnormalities of lung function (as above especially FEV1.0, FVC and FEF) to determine if lung function abnormalities in childhood are already associated with developmetn of arterial stiffness in early childhood.

We wish to address these three questions in conjunction with the local team especially with Dr John Henderson and with John Deanfield who is a colleague of our recently appointed Professor of Cardiology, Professor Julian Holcox).