Understanding the increased susceptibility to asthma development in preterm infants

Preterm birth is associated with aberrant pulmonary development and increased susceptibility to a range of chronic lung diseases. Even in healthy preterms, the prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma is far higher than in infants born at term. While physiological, environmental, and genetic factors have been studied extensively, few studies have investigated the immunological factors underpinning this increased susceptibility. Lower rates of atopy and allergic sensitization in preterm compared to term infants suggests non-allergic mechanisms may be driving asthma development in preterms. Preterm infants are more likely to develop severe RSV and HRV disease and have altered microbiomes compared to term infants. Therefore, investigating the differences in immunological interactions (e.g., response to viral infections, microbiome) between children born preterm and term will aid in understanding the immunological basis for their increased susceptibility to asthma development. This is critical to inform the development of interventions to reduce the burden of asthma in this highly vulnerable demographic.