Famine in the young and risk of later hospitalization for COPD and asthma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Undernutrition during critical periods of growth and development may permanently affect lung physiology and function.

Objectives

To investigate whether acute undernutrition in childhood or young adulthood increases the risk of later hospitalization for obstructive airways disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or asthma.

Methods

We studied 7,841 women from Prospect-EPIC who experienced the 1944-45 Dutch famine between ages 0 and 21. Pulmonary outcomes were measured by registered hospital admissions and exposure-blinded computed tomography (CT) in a subgroup of 295 women. With Cox proportional hazard regression we explored effects of famine exposure on risk of hospitalization for obstructive airways disease, COPD, and asthma. With logistic re

SUBMITTER: van Abeelen AF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3871614 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature