Relationships between growth and acute lower-respiratory infections in children aged less than 5 y in a highland population of Papua New Guinea.
One hundred fifty-six children in the highlands of Papua New Guinea aged less than 5 y, studied for a total of 7019 child-weeks, had an incidence of 1.3 episodes per child-year of acute lower-respiratory-tract infections (ALRIs). There was a marked age trend with an incidence of almost three times this average for children aged less than 6 mo. Those with low weight-for-age or low height-for-age had a higher ALRI incidence rate, with no evidence of cutoffs above which nutritional status had no effect; there was no association between low weight-for-height and increased risk of ALRI. A slow weight gain was not a significant risk factor in the short term but weight gain was reduced during episodes of ALRI.
Smith
T A
TA
Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Eastern Highlands Province.
Lehmann
D
D
Coakley
C
C
Spooner
V
V
Alpers
M P
MP
D000375:Aging; D001827:Body Height; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009512:New Guinea; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D015430:Weight Gain