Executive functioning deficits in young adult survivors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

<i style="font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Purpose</i>: To assess long-term impairments of executive functioning in adult survivors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). <i style="font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br/></i><i style="font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Method: Participants were assessed on measures of executive functioning, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and social functioning. Survivors of BPD (<i style="font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">n</i> = 63; 34 males; mean age 24.2 years) were compared with groups comprising preterm (without BPD) (<1500 g; <i style="font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">n</i> = 45) and full-term controls (<i style="font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">n</i> = 63). Analysis of variance was used to explore differences among groups for outcome measures. Multiple regression analyzes were performed to identify factors predictive of long-term outcomes. </i><i style="font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br/></i><i style="font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Results: Significantly more BPD adults, compared with preterm and term controls, showed deficits in executive functioning relating to problem solving (OR: 5.1, CI: 1.4–19.3), awareness of behavior (OR: 12.7, CI: 1.5–106.4) and organization of their environment (OR: 13.0, CI: 1.6–107.1). Birth weight, HRQoL and social functioning were predictive of deficits in executive functioning. </i><i style="font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br/></i><i style="font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Conclusions: This study represents the largest sample of survivors into adulthood of BPD and is the first to show that deficits in executive functioning persist. Children with BPD should be assessed to identify cognitive impairments and allow early intervention aimed at ameliorating their effects.</i>