Effect of acute respiratory infections in infancy on pulmonary function test at 3 years of age: a prospective birth cohort study

Kumar, Prawin; Mukherjee, Aparna; Randev, Shivani; Medigeshi, Guruprasad R; Jat, Kana Ram; Kapil, Arti; Lodha, Rakesh; Kabra, Sushil Kumar

All neonates born at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi during the study period were screened for eligibility. Inclusion criteria were age ≤4 weeks, term (born at ≥37 weeks of gestation) and appropriate for gestational age (weight: 10th-90th centile) babies. 20 Exclusion criteria were any perinatal insults (eg, birth asphyxia, meconium aspiration, any amount of respiratory distress requiring respiratory support, pathological hyperbilirubinaemia or seizure), known major congenital birth defect, required parenteral antibiotic or fluid, neonatal cholestasis, chronic kidney disease, or inborn error of metabolism and mother having antepartum or postpartum haemorrhage, pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, HIV infected, or parents' refusal for regular follow-up for 3 years. The enrolled babies were followed up every 6 months and also whenever they had ARI episode or any other acute condition. The babies were clinically examined, and anthropometric measurements (weight, length, head circumference) were recorded at enrolment and at each visit.