The overall objective of this study is to determine if infant respiratory morbidities after preterm birth are highly variable due to differential impairment of airway, parenchymal and vascular development that can be characterized as distinct physiologic phenotypes. If the nature and severity of these specific impairments of lung function are strongly associated with increased respiratory morbidities during infancy and that proteomic biomarkers can enhance the physiologic characterization of phenotype and prediction of late respiratory outcomes.
The purpose of this study is to examine if infants are more likely to suffer from respiratory complications during their first year of life due to being born premature.