Dataset Information

Piccolipiu, a multicenter birth cohort in Italy: protocol of the study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The fetal and infant life are periods of rapid development, characterized by high susceptibility to exposures. Birth cohorts provide unique opportunities to study early-life exposures in association with child development and health, as well as, with longer follow-up, the early life origin of adult diseases. Piccolipiù is an Italian birth cohort recently set up to investigate the effects of environmental exposures, parental conditions and social factors acting during pre-natal and early post-natal life on infant and child health and development. We describe here its main characteristics.

Methods/design

Piccolipiù is a prospective cohort of expected 3000 newborns, who will be recruiting in six maternity units of five Italian cities (Florence, Rome, Trieste, Turin and Viareggio) since October 2011. Mothers are contacted during pregnancy or at delivery and are offered to participate in the study. Upon acceptance, their newborns are recruited at birth and followed up until at least 18 years of age. At recruitment, the mothers donate a blood sample and complete a baseline questionnaire. Umbilical cord blood, pieces of umbilical cord and heel blood spots are also collected. Postnatal follow-up currently occurs at 6, 12, and 24 months of age using on-line or postal self administered questionnaire; further questionnaires and medical examinations are envisaged. Questionnaires collect information on several factors, including mother's and/or child's environmental exposures, anthropometric measures, reproductive factors, diet, supplements, medical history, cognitive development, mental health and socioeconomic factors. Health promotion materials are also offered to parents.

Discussion

Piccolipiù will broaden our understanding of the contribution of early-life factors to infant and child health and development. Several hypotheses on the developmental origins of health can be tested or piloted using the data collected from the Piccolipiù cohort. By pooling these data with those collected by other existing birth cohorts it will be possible to validate previous findings and to study rare exposures and outcomes.

SUBMITTER: Farchi S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3926689 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Piccolipiù, a multicenter birth cohort in Italy: protocol of the study.

Farchi Sara S Forastiere Francesco F Vecchi Brumatti Liza L Alviti Sabrina S Arnofi Antonio A Bernardini Tommaso T Bin Maura M Brescianini Sonia S Colelli Valentina V Cotichini Rodolfo R Culasso Martina M De Bartolo Paolo P Felice Laura L Fiano Valentina V Fioritto Alessandra A Frizzi Alfio A Gagliardi Luigi L Giorgi Giulia G Grasso Chiara C La Rosa Francesca F Loganes Claudia C Lorusso Paola P Martini Valentina V Merletti Franco F Medda Emanuela E Montelatici Veronica V Mugelli Isabella I Narduzzi Silvia S Nisticò Lorenza L Penna Luana L Piscianz Elisa E Piscicelli Carlo C Poggesi Giulia G Porta Daniela D Ranieli Antonella A Rapisardi Gherardo G Rasulo Assunta A Richiardi Lorenzo L Rusconi Franca F Serino Laura L Stazi Maria Antonietta MA Toccaceli Virgilia V Todros Tullia T Tognin Veronica V Trevisan Morena M Valencic Erica E Volpi Patrizia P Ziroli Valentina V Ronfani Luca L Di Lallo Domenico D

BMC pediatrics 20140207

<h4>Background</h4>The fetal and infant life are periods of rapid development, characterized by high susceptibility to exposures. Birth cohorts provide unique opportunities to study early-life exposures in association with child development and health, as well as, with longer follow-up, the early life origin of adult diseases. Piccolipiù is an Italian birth cohort recently set up to investigate the effects of environmental exposures, parental conditions and social factors acting during pre-natal ...[more]

PMID: 24506846

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