Title: Early life antibiotic use and the risk of asthma exacerbations in children
| Authors: | Ahmadizar F, Vijverberg SJH, Arets HGM |
| Published: | 2017 |
| Journal: | Pediatric Allergy and Immunology |
It is known that antibiotic usage early in life may be a risk factor for developing allergies later in life. The objective of this study was to investigate the links between the use of antibiotics in the first 3 years of life and the risk of developing asthma in childhood as well as the occurrence of asthma. This effect was analysed using data from 4 large childhood cohort studies in Europe, with a total of more than 8000 subjects. The results indicated that antibiotic use in early life was associated with increased risk of asthma, but not with increased asthma exacerbations. This study provides scientific evidence that environmental challenges in childhood including antibiotic courses increase the risk of allergy.