According to a recent clinical finding, the heart’s blood-pumping capacity during exercise significantly lowers in preterm adults as compared to adults born full term, putting the preterm adults at increased risk of heart failure. The study involved 47 adults aged 18 to 40 who were born preterm and 54 similar-aged adults born full term. Based on results of stress echocardiograms, a gap in ejection fraction emerged at increasing levels of exercise intensity. At 60% of peak exercise intensity, the premature cohort averaged an LVEF 6.7 percent lower than full-term subjects (71.9 versus 78.6%). The difference grew to 7.3% at 80 percent exercise intensity (69.8% versus 77.1%).
Source: Huckstep O, Williamson W, Telles F et al. Physiological Stress Elicits Impaired Left Ventricular Function in Preterm-Born Adults. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;71(12):1347-1356.
