Fetal exposure to cocaine and infections during the first 18 months of life in infants from a Mediterranean city.
OBJECTIVE
The incidence of infections during the first 18 months of life was investigated in 36 infants prenatally exposed to cocaine and in 72 non-exposed controls from Barcelona, Spain.


METHODS
Fetal exposure to cocaine was ascertained by meconium analysis, infections by structured questionnaire.


RESULTS
A higher incidence of infections, if excluding those acquired in utero, was not found in exposed infants versus non-exposed infants of similar demographical and socioeconomic characteristics.


CONCLUSIONS
A possible role for life style factor in those cases where increased infections are associated with fetal exposure to cocaine is hypothesized.
García-Algar
Oscar
O
Pediatric Service, Unitat de Recerca Infància i Entorn, Hospital Universitari del Mar, Universitat Autònoma, Barcelona, Spain. OGarciaA@imas.imim.es
Felipe
Aida
A
Puig
Carme
C
Monleón
Toni
T
Pacifici
Roberta
R
Pichini
Simona
S
D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology