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Low birth weight for gestation and airway function in infancy: exploring the fetal origins hypothesis

C Dezateux1, S Lum, A-F Hoo

  • 1Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Child Health, London, UK. c.dezateux@ich.ucl.ac.uk

Thorax
|December 25, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Infants with low birth weight for gestation exhibit reduced airway function shortly after birth, linked to factors like maternal smoking and social disadvantage. This early impairment may impact future respiratory health.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric pulmonology
  • Neonatal health
  • Environmental influences on child health

Background:

  • Poor fetal growth is linked to adult airway issues, but early childhood data is limited.
  • This study investigates the association between birth weight and infant airway function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if low birth weight for gestation is associated with impaired airway function in newborns.
  • To assess if this association is independent of postnatal growth deficits.

Main Methods:

  • Airway function measured using the raised volume technique in infants of low (< or =10th centile) or appropriate (> or =20th centile) birth weight for gestation.
  • Key metrics included forced expiratory volume in 0.4 s (FEV0.4), forced vital capacity (FVC), and maximal expired flow at 25% of forced vital capacity (MEF25).
  • Data on infant and maternal characteristics, including smoking and parental occupation, were collected.

Main Results:

  • Infants of low birth weight for gestation showed reduced FEV0.4, FVC, and MEF25 compared to appropriate birth weight infants.
  • Maternal smoking and manual occupations were also associated with diminished infant airway function.
  • After adjustments, low birth weight for gestation was linked to significant reductions in FEV0.4 (11 ml), FVC (12 ml), and MEF25 (28 ml/s).

Conclusions:

  • Airway function is compromised in early infancy due to a pathway involving social disadvantage, birth weight, and potentially genetic factors.
  • Findings suggest a complex interplay of socioeconomic factors, birth weight, and maternal behaviors affecting infant respiratory health.
  • Further research is needed to understand the long-term implications for airway development.
Abstract

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