Comorbidities and course of lung function in patients with congenital esophageal atresia

Abstract

To describe the epidemiological characteristics, hospital follow-up, and course of patients who underwent surgery for esophageal atresia and its consequences on lung function. Retrospective, longitudinal, and analytical study. The medical records of patients with esophageal atresia born between 1996 and 2017 were reviewed. Perinatal data, type of atresia, associated malformations, respiratory and gastrointestinal complications, and spirometry data were recorded over 3 years. A total of 97 patients were included. The most common type of atresia was III, and the most frequent syndrome, trisomy 21; 13.4 % of patients died in the neonatal period; 23.8 % were followed up by the Department of Pulmonology, and their respiratory complications included exacerbations (46.4 %), wheezing or asthma (36 %), and pneumonia (26.8 %). Gastroesophageal reflux was a risk factor for wheezing (OR: 5.31; p = 0.002), exacerbations (OR: 4.00; p=0.009), and pneumonia (OR: 3.24; p = 0.02). In the first spirometry (n=20), the pattern was normal in 65 %; restrictive in 30 %; and mixed in 5 %. In the second spirometry (n = 19), the pattern was normal in 42.1 %; restrictive in 31.6 %; obstructive in 15.8 %, and mixed in 10.5 %. In the third spirometry (n = 14), the pattern was normal in 50 %; restrictive in 21.4 %; obstructive in 14.3 %, and mixed in 14.3 %. In our sample of patients, a large proportion had respiratory and gastrointestinal comorbidities. Lung function worsened progressively.