Abstract
Abnormal pulmonary function tests and childhood asthma have been suggested as long term sequelae of Low Birth Weight (LBW) (<2,500 g) (Am Rev Respir Dis 1990; 142:555-562). In order to study whether LBW was associated to childhood asthma, we analyzed the data of a cross-sectional survey in 2929 schoolchildren aged 6-11, randomly selected from three areas of the Lazio region, Italy, Overall LBW rate was 4.9%: LBW was positively associated to childhood asthma (Odds Ratio 2.37; 95% c.i. 1.41-3.95). A multivariate analysis was carried out to adjust the effect of LBW for other known determinants of childhood asthma: sex, maternal age at birth, child age, neonatal feeding practice, parental smoking, socio economic status, area of residence and atopy in parents and sibs. The adjusted OR was 2.39 (95% c.i. 1.41-4.04), practically identical to the unadjusted estimate. Our findings suggest that LBW is a major determinant of childhood asthma: suboptimal intrauterine conditions may have long term consequences for respiratory growth and function even if they do not lead to overt neonatal respiratory difficulties.
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