title: Prevalence of respiratory tract infections, allergies and assessment of humoral immunity within the Malopolska region's cohort of 11- year old children born with extremely low birth weight in comparison with to their term born peers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children born with extremely low birth weight (ELBW) have more respiratory tract complications during childhood. Little is known about respiratory and allergy problems in ELBW children at the threshold of adolescence.
  
  
  METHODS
  A follow-up study was conducted at the age of 11 among ELBW children (n=65) and age-matched controls (n=36). The primary outcomes in the study were the occurrence of respiratory and allergy problems and the rate of hospitalization due to respiratory complications at the age of 11 years, assessed with a questionnaire. Secondary outcome variables were serum levels of immunoglobulin classes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ELBW children had more respiratory tract infections (31 vs.11%, p = 0.03), but less allergies (3 vs. 22%, p < 0.01) compared with controls and had lower level of serum tIgE (geometric mean: 46.5 vs. 89.3 kU/l, p = 0.02). The risk factors for the occurrence of respiratory tract disorders in the ELBW group were: low gestational age, need for surfactant therapy and length of ventilatory support in the neonatal period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ELBW children have more frequent respiratory tract complications, but fewer allergies at the age of 11 years compared with children born at term. Lower respiratory tract problems decrease in ELBW children with age. Respiratory tract infections are not connected with deficiency in humoral immunity.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zasada
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klimek
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Durlak
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotula
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomasik
authors.forename: Przemko
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kwinta
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D052577:Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E