Airway reactivity as determined by a cold air challenge in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Abstract

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a common complication of ventilatory support in neonates, is characterized by low pulmonary compliance, increased pulmonary resistance, and limitations to airflow. 1,2 Bronchospasm has been demonstrated in some of these infants by their response to pharmacologic bronchodilation. 3,4 In older children, this reactivity of the airway may be provocatively induced by medications or cold air inhalation. 5,6 Clinical symptoms have often been suggestive of reactive airway disease 9 3.7. 8 In this article we report the technique of a modified cold air challenge test to determine airway reactivity in low birth weight infants. Infants with BPD, at term postconceptional age, were specifically evaluated for evidence of airway reactivity and compared with postconceptional age-matched preterm infants without BPD.