Correcting standardized expiratory flows for prematurity in ex-preterm survivors—Is it necessary?

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of correcting for prematurity on standardized values for expiratory flow rates for participants from 5 years through to 70 years of age. Methods: In a theoretical model we assumed starting values for expiratory flows that were expected to give ranges within ±2 SD. Keeping expiratory flows, ethnicity and height constant, we then determined how z scores varied between 5 and 16.9 years, and, with two different fixed values for height and expiratory flows, between 16 and 70 years of ages, for both sexes. In a clinical example, we compared expiratory flows with age both corrected and uncorrected for prematurity between 144 survivors born extremely preterm and 14..