Respiratory Hospitalizations and Rehospitalizations in Infants Born Late Preterm

The impact of late preterm (LPT) birth, born at 34-0/7 to 36-6/7, on respiratory morbidity beyond the neonatal period is still a subject of controversy. It is currently not yet established whether LPT infants are at increased risks for recurrent severe respiratory illnesses requiring hospitalizations. Records of LPT and full term (FT) patients <2 years of age admitted during the year 2012 to the hospital due to a respiratory illness were reviewed. The clinical course and rate of readmissions of children born (LPT, 34-36 weeks) with (FT, ≥37 weeks) who were hospitalized with a respiratory illness in early childhood were compared. Four hundred eight-six patients met inclusion criteria: 51 (10.5%) LPT and 435 (89.5%) FT. The groups had similar preadmission clinical demographic characteristics. The LPT group had a significantly increased risk for recurrent hospitalization due to respiratory illnesses in the year following the index admission (odds ratio = 2.69, 95% confidence interval = 1.32-5.48, P = 0.006), and rehospitalizations occurring at an earlier age when compared to FT (9.3 ± 3.3 versus. 13.1 ± 7.8 months, P = 0.02). Other outcome indices such as hospital length of stay, medical treatment during hospitalization, and microbiological diagnosis were similar between groups (P > 0.1). LPT infants hospitalized for a respiratory illness during the first 2 years of life are at increased risk for further respiratory hospitalizations. A prospective study is required to identify risk factors for respiratory morbidity in LPT born children.