Children’s Health: Do Antibiotics Now Mean Asthma Later?
2006
Do Antibiotics in Infants Lead to Asthma?
Sample size: 21283
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Fawziah Marra, W. Michael Alberts
Primary Institution: University of British Columbia
Hypothesis
Is there a link between antibiotic exposure in infants and the development of asthma later in childhood?
Conclusion
Children who received antibiotics before age 1 are at a higher risk of developing asthma.
Supporting Evidence
- Asthma affects 1 in 8 school-aged children in industrialized countries.
- Children diagnosed with asthma were twice as likely to have received antibiotics before age 1.
- Each additional course of antibiotics raised asthma risk 1.16 times.
Takeaway
If babies take antibiotics too often, they might get asthma when they grow up.
Methodology
The study analyzed data from four prospective and four retrospective studies conducted between 1999 and 2004.
Limitations
Information about the specific antibiotics prescribed could not be obtained.
Participant Demographics
Children diagnosed with asthma between the ages of 1 and 18 years.
Statistical Information
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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