title: Low birth weight is associated with lower respiratory tract infections in children with hand, foot, and mouth disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low birth weight (LBW) might be a risk factor for acquiring lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) associated with disease related complications in early childhood. HFMD, a frequent viral infection in southern China, is a leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children. We analyzed whether LBW is a risk factor for children with HFMD to develop lower respiratory tract infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 298 children with HFMD, admitted to a hospital in Qingyuan city, Guangdong province, were recruited. Demographic data and clinical parameters such as serum glucose level and inflammatory markers including peripheral white blood cell count, serum C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were routinely collected on admission. Birth weight data were derived from birth records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean birth weight (BW) was 167 g lower in patients with HFMD and LRTIs as compared to patients with solely HFMD (p = 0.022) and the frequency of birth weight below the tenth percentile was significantly higher in patients with HFMD and LRTIs (p = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the study show that low birth weight is associated with a higher incidence of lower respiratory tract infections in young children with HFMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The first Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, Guangdong province. China.
authors.forename: Yong-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: De-Ying
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: You-Peng
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xu-Jing
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jie-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Si-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zhi-Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Wang-Rong
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Karoline
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Von Websky
authors.forename: Berthold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hocher
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006232:Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002097:C-Reactive Protein