Birthweight and the risk of atopic diseases: the ISAAC Phase III study. Issue 3 (20th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mitchell, Edwin A.; Clayton, Tadd; García‐Marcos, Luis; Pearce, Neil; Foliaki, Sunia; Wong, Gary
• Is Part Of: Pediatric allergy and immunology. Volume 25:Issue 3(2014)
• Page Start: 264
• Page End: 270
• Publication Date: 2014-02-20
• Subjects: Allergy in children -- Periodicals; Immunologic diseases in children -- Periodicals; 617
• DOI: 10.1111/pai.12210
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0905-6157

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="pai12210-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="pai12210-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>The association between birthweight and asthma, eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis is conflicting.</p> </sec> <sec id="pai12210-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Aims</title> <p>To examine the association between birthweight and symptoms of asthma, eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis.</p> </sec> <sec id="pai12210-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Parents or guardians of children aged 6–7 yr completed written questionnaires about symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema, and several risk factors, including birthweight.</p> </sec> <sec id="pai12210-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>There were 162, 324 children from 60 centres in 26 countries. Low birthweight (&lt;2.5 kg) was associated with an increased risk of symptoms of asthma (current wheeze odds ratio = 1.20; 95% confidence interval = 1.12–1.30). Low birthweight was associated with a lower risk of eczema ever. Low birthweight was not associated with rhinoconjunctivitis. Large babies (birthweight ≥4.5 kg) were not associated with any of these outcomes.</p> </sec> <sec id="pai12210-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>This study has confirmed that low birthweight is a risk factor for symptoms of asthma, but not for rhinoconjunctivitis. The findings for eczema are equivocal.</p> </sec> </abstract>