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. 2018 Oct;107(10):1798-1804.
doi: 10.1111/apa.14332. Epub 2018 Apr 16.

Antibiotics in the first week of life were associated with atopic asthma at 12 years of age

Frida Strömberg Celind  1 , Göran Wennergren  1 , Styliana Vasileiadou  1 , Bernt Alm  1 , Emma Goksör  1
Affiliations

Antibiotics in the first week of life were associated with atopic asthma at 12 years of age

Frida Strömberg Celind et al. Acta Paediatr. 2018 Oct.

Abstract

Aim: This study explored the prevalence of atopic and nonatopic asthma in 12-year-old children and whether they were associated with different risk factors. In particular, we wanted to analyse whether receiving antibiotics during the first week of life was associated with asthma at that age.

Methods: Data were obtained from a longitudinal cohort study of 5654 Swedish children born in 2003. The parents answered questionnaires from the age of six months until 12 years. The response rate at 12 years was 3637/4777 (76%).

Results: At 12 years, 6.4% reported current doctor-diagnosed asthma. Treatment with antibiotics during the first week of life was associated with an increased risk of atopic asthma, with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.2 and 95% confidence interval of 1.2-4.2. Being born small for gestational age was associated with an increased risk of nonatopic asthma, with an adjusted odds ratio of 3.8 and 95% confidence interval of 1.1-13.7. Asthma that only occurred with colds was reported by 28%.

Conclusion: Antibiotic treatment during the first week of life was associated with an increased risk of atopic asthma at 12 years, suggesting an immune-mediated effect. Being born small for gestational age increased the risk of nonatopic asthma.

Keywords: Antibiotics; Asthma; Atopy; Breastfeeding; Small for gestational age.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The course of asthma from infancy to age 12 years. The figure is based on the 2913/3637 participants for whom we had information on asthma in all questionnaires. The absolute prevalence is population based, i.e., of 2913 children. The relative prevalence is based on children with ever asthma, i.e., of 397 children. Green colour denotes asthma during the 12 months preceding the follow‐up.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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