DOZ047.39: Respiratory morbidity at the age of one year in children with esophageal atresia: data from the French National Esophageal Atresia Register

Summary Respiratory diseases are common in children with esophageal atresia (EA), leading to an increased morbidity and mortality in the first months of life. Objective Assess the prevalence of hospitalizations linked to a respiratory disease and of maintenance inhaled therapy at the age of 1 year in French children. Methods Population based-study using data from the French national EA register. We included all children born between 2010 and 2015 with data available at birth and at follow-up at one year of age. Results A total of 981 patients born with EA were included in the register, 75 of them (8%) being deceased at the age of 1 year. Data were missing for 60 patients, thus 846 children (86%) were retained for analysis. EAs were type III of Ladd classification in 89% and type I in 7%. Rate of prematurity was 37% while 51% presented associated malformations. At 1 year of age, 1297 hospitalizations were reported for 508 patients (60%), at least one hospitalization for a respiratory disease for 251 children (51%). Factors significantly associated with respiratory hospitalizations were longer median length of oxygen supplementation (P < 10−2) and noninvasive ventilation in the neonatal period (P = 0.02), gastrostomy tube (P < 10−2), esophageal anastomosis dilation (P < 10−2). At 1 year of age, 29% had an inhaled maintenance treatment, and 85% inhaled corticosteroids. Factors significantly associated with inhaled maintenance treatment were male gender (P = 0.04), advanced older median age at gastrostomy tube insertion (P < 10−3), enteral feeding at one year of age (P < 10−3). Conclusion This study shows a high rate of respiratory problems responsive of frequent hospitalizations and inhaled maintenance treatment in children born with EA in the first year of life.