American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 153, No. 7 : 653-658
Copyright © 2001 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS |
Family Size, Day-Care Attendance, and Breastfeeding in Relation to the Incidence of Childhood Asthma
1 Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
2 Department of Pediatrics, Hôpital Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
3 Department of Chest Medicine, Hôpital Sacré-Coeur, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
A hypothesis has been suggested stating that children exposed early to infections are less likely to develop atopy or asthma. The authors investigated the relation between risk of childhood asthma and number of siblings as well as day-care attendance, as factors possibly increasing the likelihood of early infections, and breastfeeding as a factor reducing them. A case-control study was carried out in Montréal, Canada, between 1988 and 1995 that included 457 children diagnosed with asthma at 3–4 years of age and 457 healthy controls. Cases followed for 6 years were later classified as persistent or transient by the symptoms and use of medication after diagnosis. Among cases diagnosed at 3–4 years of age, the adjusted odds ratio for asthma was 0.54 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.36, 0.80) for one sibling and 0.49 (95% CI: 0.30, 0.81) for two or more. The adjusted odds ratio for day-care attendance before 1 year of age was 0.59 (95% CI: 0.40, 0.87). Results were similar with persistent cases. Among transient cases (who possibly had an infection with wheezing at 3–4 years of age), day-care attendance and a short duration of breastfeeding resulted in increased risk. The results support the hypothesis that opportunity for early infections reduces the risk of asthma.
asthma; breast feeding; child; day care; family
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  M-J. Martel, E. Rey, M-F. Beauchesne, J-L. Malo, S. Perreault, A. Forget, and L. Blais Control and severity of asthma during pregnancy are associated with asthma incidence in offspring: two-stage case-control study Eur. Respir. J., September 1, 2009; 34(3): 579 - 587. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M.-J. Martel, E. Rey, J.-L. Malo, S. Perreault, M.-F. Beauchesne, A. Forget, and L. Blais Determinants of the Incidence of Childhood Asthma: A Two-Stage Case-Control Study Am. J. Epidemiol., January 15, 2009; 169(2): 195 - 205. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 O. Herbarth, M. Bauer, G. J Fritz, P. Herbarth, U. Rolle-Kampczyk, P. Krumbiegel, M. Richter, and T. Richter Helicobacter pylori colonisation and eczema J Epidemiol Community Health, July 1, 2007; 61(7): 638 - 640. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Prevention strategies for asthma -- primary prevention Can. Med. Assoc. J., September 13, 2005; 173(6_suppl): S20 - S24. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 W. H. Oddy, J. L. Sherriff, N. H. de Klerk, G. E. Kendall, P. D. Sly, L. J. Beilin, K. B. Blake, L. I. Landau, and F. J. Stanley The Relation of Breastfeeding and Body Mass Index to Asthma and Atopy in Children: A Prospective Cohort Study to Age 6 Years Am J Public Health, September 1, 2004; 94(9): 1531 - 1537. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. Eldeirawi and V. W. Persky History of Ear Infections and Prevalence of Asthma in a National Sample of Children Aged 2 to 11 Years: The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988 to 1994 Chest, May 1, 2004; 125(5): 1685 - 1692. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W Karmaus and C Botezan Does a higher number of siblings protect against the development of allergy and asthma? A review J Epidemiol Community Health, March 1, 2002; 56(3): 209 - 217. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|