title: Early Life Antibiotic Exposure Is Not Associated with Growth in Young Children of Vellore, India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the effects of antibiotic exposures in the first 6 months of life on short- and long-term growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective observational cohort study of 497 children from Vellore, India, we estimated short-term effects of antibiotics during the first 6 months using longitudinal general linear regression to model weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height z-scores in monthly intervals. To estimate long-term effects, we modeled growth from 6 months to 3 years as a function of antibiotic use in the first 6 months. We also estimated the effects of antibiotics on the monthly relative risks of underweight, stunting, and wasting in the first 6 months and to 3 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Underweight, stunting, and wasting were common in this population: 31%, 32%, and 15% on average after 6 months of age, respectively. There was no association between antibiotic exposures before 6 months and growth during that period. From 6 months to 3 years, adjusted absolute differences in weight and height were small (approximately -100 g and no more than -2 mm overall, respectively) and not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antibiotic exposures early in life were not associated with increased or decreased growth. The combination of malnutrition and recurrent illness likely complicate the relationship between antibiotic exposures and growth among children in low and middle-income countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC. Electronic address: rogawski@virginia.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Rogawski
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Westreich
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Adair
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Becker-Dreps
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Sandler
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
authors.forename: Deepthi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kattula
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India; Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Honorine D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meshnick
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
authors.forename: Gagandeep
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents