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Population‐based longitudinal study showed that children born small for gestational age faced a higher risk of hospitalisation during early childhood
Author(s) -
Yoshimoto Junko,
Yorifuji Takashi,
Washio Yosuke,
Okamura Tomoka,
Watanabe Hirokazu,
Doi Hiroyuki,
Tsukahara Hirokazu
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.14507
Subject(s) - medicine , small for gestational age , pediatrics , longitudinal study , gestational age , population , population based study , early childhood , obstetrics , pregnancy , environmental health , genetics , biology , psychology , developmental psychology , pathology
Aim We examined the effects of being born small for gestational age ( SGA ) on the risk of being hospitalised for common diseases during childhood. Methods This Japanese nationwide, population‐based longitudinal survey followed babies born before 42 weeks of gestation from 10 to 17 January and from 10 to 17 July 2001, using data from the Government's Longitudinal Survey of Babies in the 21st Century. Our study followed 41 268 children until 5.5 years of age: 39 107 full term (8.7% SGA ) and 2161 preterm (15.5% SGA ). We evaluated the relationship between SGA status and hospitalisation using their history of hospitalisation for common diseases and comparing full‐term or preterm births. Logistic regression analysis, adjusted for potential confounders, estimated the odds ratios ( OR s) and 95% confidence intervals ( CI s). Results The full‐term and preterm children who were born SGA were more likely to be hospitalised during infancy and early childhood than those born non SGA . The OR s for hospitalisation from six months to 18 months of age were 1.23 (95% CI : 1.10–1.37) for full‐term and 1.67 (95% CI : 1.23–2.25) for preterm subjects. Higher risks of hospitalisation due to bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma and diarrhoea were also observed. Conclusion Being born SGA was associated with all‐cause and cause‐specific hospitalisation in early childhood, particularly for term infants.