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Neonatal antibiotic treatment is a risk factor for early wheezing

Bernt Alm1, Laslo Erdes, Per Möllborg

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Göteborg University, Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, SE-416 85 Göteborg, Sweden. bernt.alm@medfak.gu.se

Pediatrics
|April 3, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Neonatal antibiotic exposure is linked to childhood wheezing, suggesting gut bacteria changes may increase asthma risk. This study minimized reverse causation by focusing on early antibiotic use.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Medicine
  • Microbiome Research
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Antibiotic use in infancy is a suspected risk factor for asthma.
  • Previous studies faced challenges in excluding reverse causation (antibiotics given for early wheezing).
  • This study focused on neonatal antibiotic exposure to mitigate reverse causation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between neonatal antibiotic treatment and the development of wheezing in infants.
  • To identify independent risk factors for wheezing disorder requiring inhaled corticosteroid treatment.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study was conducted in western Sweden with infants born in 2003.
  • Infant families were randomly selected and surveyed at 6 and 12 months of age.
  • Response rates for questionnaires were approximately 69%.

Main Results:

  • At 12 months, 20.2% of infants experienced wheezing, and 5.3% had 3+ episodes.
  • Neonatal antibiotic treatment was an independent risk factor for wheezing treated with inhaled corticosteroids.
  • Other risk factors included male gender, preterm birth, maternal asthma, sibling asthma/eczema, and short breastfeeding duration.

Conclusions:

  • Neonatal antibiotic treatment is an independent risk factor for developing wheezing requiring inhaled corticosteroids by 12 months.
  • Findings indirectly support the hypothesis that altered intestinal flora increases subsequent wheezing risk.
  • This research strengthens the link between early-life antibiotic exposure and respiratory health outcomes.
Abstract

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