Preterm birth, infant weight gain, and childhood asthma risk: a meta-analysis of 147,000 European children.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Preterm birth, low birth weight, and infant catch-up growth seem associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases in later life, but individual studies showed conflicting results.

Objectives

We performed an individual participant data meta-analysis for 147,252 children of 31 birth cohort studies to determine the associations of birth and infant growth characteristics with the risks of preschool wheezing (1-4 years) and school-age asthma (5-10 years).

Methods

First, we performed an adjusted 1-stage random-effect meta-analysis to assess the combined associations of gestational age, birth weight, and infant weight gain with childhood asthma. Second, we performed an adjusted 2-stage random-effect meta-analysis to assess the associations of preterm birt

SUBMITTER: Sonnenschein-van der Voort AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4024198 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature