Preterm Birth With Neonatal Interventions Accelerates Collagen Deposition in the Left Ventricle of Lambs Without Affecting Cardiomyocyte Development

Abstract

Background: Adults born preterm (< 37 weeks' gestation) exhibit altered cardiac growth and are susceptible to cardiac dysfunction. Sheep studies have shown that moderate preterm birth results in maladaptive structural remodelling of the cardiac ventricles. The aim of this study was to examine ventricular structure in lambs born at a greater severity of preterm birth and ventilated postnatally. Methods: Former-preterm lambs delivered at 128 days' gestation, and mechanically ventilated for a week after birth, were compared with unventilated lambs born at term (150 days' gestation), at 2 months R ESUM ECJC Open 3 (2021) 574e584