Otitis media, respiratory tract infections and hearing loss in pre-term and low birthweight infants.
In 1983, 1338 liveborn infants with a gestational age of less than 32 weeks and/or a birthweight of less than 1500 g, were enrolled in a national follow-up study in The Netherlands. At the age of 5 years, 966 children were alive. Of these, 927 (96%) were assessed on a home visit 2-6 weeks after their fifth birthday by three specially trained paediatricians. An assessment of ENT morbidity was made and compared with ENT morbidity in full-term children of the same age group. Markedly preterm birth or very low birthweight does not seem to be a risk factor for developing middle ear disease in childhood, however, the rate of ENT problems seems to be higher than in the general population of Dutch pre-school children.
Sassen
M L
ML
ENT Department, University Hospital Leiden, The Netherlands.
Veen
S
S
Schreuder
A M
AM
Ens-Dokkum
M H
MH
Verloove-Vanhorick
S P
SP
Brand
R
R
Ruys
J H
JH
Grote
J J
JJ
D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009017:Morbidity; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors