The relationship between antibiotic therapy in early childhood and the symptoms of allergy in children aged 6–8 years - the questionnaire study results

• Authors: Filip Raciborski , Aneta Tomaszewska , Jarosław Komorowski , Piotr Samel-Kowalik , Artur Z. Białoszewski , Artur Walkiewicz , Adam Lusawa , Jakub Szymański , Dagmara Opoczyńska , Michał Drużba , Jacek Borowicz , Agnieszka Lipiec , Wojciech J. Kapalczynski , Bolesław Samoliński

Abstracts

EN

Introduction: Studies based on the ISAAC questionnaire suggest a correlation between the use of antibiotics and the prevalence of asthma and allergy in children aged 6-7 years. The number of courses of antibiotic therapy is an important factor. Objectives: To investigate the relationship between the use of antibiotics during the fi rst years of life and the prevalence of allergy and asthma among children (aged 6-8 years) in the urban population of Poland. Materials and Methods: A survey-based study with a self-completed questionnaire. The respondents were parents of children aged 6-8 years living in Warszawa, Poland. 1461 completed questionnaires were collected. Results: Asthma was declared in 4.3% of the children. Wheezing and/or sibilant rhonchi within 12 months before the study was observed in 13.5% of the cases. Asthma medication was taken by 21.8% of the children. Allergic rhinitis was declared in 18.7% of the children. Problems with sneezing, rhinorrhea, and nasal congestion not associated with cold or fever were observed in 40.7% of the children. The a nalysis of the odds ratios between the use of antibiotics and the symptoms of allergic diseases revealed a clear correlation. The highest odds ratio was observed between the completion of over three courses of antibiotic therapy prior to the age of 12 months and the declaration of one of the following: asthma (OR = 5.59, 95% CI: 2.6-12.01), wheezing and/or sibilant rhonchi (OR = 4.68, 95% CI: 3.01-7.27) and taking medicines for breathlessness (OR = 5.12, 95% CI: 3.42-7.68). Conclusions: There is a direct relationship between antibiotic use in the fi rst 3 years of life and asthma and allergy symptoms in children aged 6-8 years old.

Keywords

EN

asthma; allergy; antibiotics; epidemiology; prevalence; risk factors

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2012
• Volume: 25
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 470-480

Dates

published

2012

Contributors

author

Filip Raciborski

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
• Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, Institute of Rheumatology, Warszawa, Poland

author

Aneta Tomaszewska

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

author

Jarosław Komorowski

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

author

Piotr Samel-Kowalik

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

author

Artur Z. Białoszewski

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

author

Artur Walkiewicz

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

author

Adam Lusawa

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

author

Jakub Szymański

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

author

Dagmara Opoczyńska

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

author

Michał Drużba

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

author

Jacek Borowicz

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

author

Agnieszka Lipiec

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

author

Wojciech J. Kapalczynski

• Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA

author

Bolesław Samoliński

• Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/S13382-012-0056-0

Biblioteka Nauki

2180075