MC Marbury, G Maldonado and L Waller
Section of Chronic Disease and Environmental Epidemiology, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis 55414, USA.

We prospectively assessed the relations between various characteristics of day care and lower respiratory illness (LRI) in a cohort of 1,268 Minnesotan children, born between October 1989 and January 1991 and followed to 2 yr of age. Information on LRI was abstracted from medical records and data on day care use, respiratory symptoms, and physician diagnosis of asthma were obtained from questionnaires. We identified a subgroup of 60 children with recurrent wheezing illnesses. The LRI rate ratio for day care attendance was 2.0 (95% confidence interval = 1.7, 2.2). Rate ratios were similar regardless of the day care setting, number of other children present, or the number of hours spent in day care. A parental history of asthma further increased the rate ratio for day care attendance. Day care attendance was associated with a threefold risk of having recurrent wheezing illnesses. We conclude that day care attendance is an important risk factor for LRI in young children, and for recurrent wheezing illnesses.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. B. Panitch The Relationship Between Early Respiratory Viral Infections and Subsequent Wheezing and Asthma Clinical Pediatrics, June 1, 2007; 46(5): 392 - 400. [PDF]

				M. Kamper-Jorgensen, J. Wohlfahrt, J. Simonsen, M. Gronbaek, and C. S. Benn Population-Based Study of the Impact of Childcare Attendance on Hospitalizations for Acute Respiratory Infections Pediatrics, October 1, 2006; 118(4): 1439 - 1446. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Guerra, I. C. Lohman, M. Halonen, F. D. Martinez, and A. L. Wright Reduced Interferon {gamma} Production and Soluble CD14 Levels in Early Life Predict Recurrent Wheezing by 1 Year of Age Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., January 1, 2004; 169(1): 70 - 76. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. C. Celedon, R. J. Wright, A. A. Litonjua, D. Sredl, L. Ryan, S. T. Weiss, and D. R. Gold Day Care Attendance in Early Life, Maternal History of Asthma, and Asthma at the Age of 6 Years Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., May 1, 2003; 167(9): 1239 - 1243. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Cole Johnson, D. R. Ownby, E. M. Zoratti, S. Hensley Alford, L. K. Williams, and C. L. M. Joseph Environmental Epidemiology of Pediatric Asthma and Allergy Epidemiol. Rev., December 1, 2002; 24(2): 154 - 175. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. C. Celedon, A. A. Litonjua, L. Ryan, S. T. Weiss, and D. R. Gold Day Care Attendance, Respiratory Tract Illnesses, Wheezing, Asthma, and Total Serum IgE Level in Early Childhood Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, March 1, 2002; 156(3): 241 - 245. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. von Mutius Infection: friend or foe in the development of atopy and asthma? The epidemiological evidence Eur. Respir. J., November 1, 2001; 18(5): 872 - 881. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. P. Koopman, H. A. Smit, M.-L. A. Heijnen, A. Wijga, R. T. van Strien, M. Kerkhof, J. Gerritsen, B. Brunekreef, J. C. de Jongste, and H. J. Neijens Respiratory Infections in Infants: Interaction of Parental Allergy, Child Care, and Siblings---The PIAMA Study Pediatrics, October 1, 2001; 108(4): 943 - 948. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Infante-Rivard, D. Amre, D. Gautrin, and J.-L. Malo Family Size, Day-Care Attendance, and Breastfeeding in Relation to the Incidence of Childhood Asthma Am. J. Epidemiol., April 1, 2001; 153(7): 653 - 658. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. M. Ball, J. A. Castro-Rodriguez, K. A. Griffith, C. J. Holberg, F. D. Martinez, and A. L. Wright Siblings, Day-Care Attendance, and the Risk of Asthma and Wheezing during Childhood N. Engl. J. Med., August 24, 2000; 343(8): 538 - 543. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. H. BOSKEN, W. C. HUNT, W. E. LAMBERT, and J. M. SAMET A Parental History of Asthma Is a Risk Factor for Wheezing and Nonwheezing Respiratory Illnesses in Infants Younger than 18 Months of Age Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., June 1, 2000; 161(6): 1810 - 1815. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				F. RUSCONI, C. GALASSI, G. M. CORBO, F. FORASTIERE, A. BIGGERI, G. CICCONE, E. RENZONI, and the SIDRIA Collaborative Group Risk Factors for Early, Persistent, and Late-onset Wheezing in Young Children Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., November 1, 1999; 160(5): 1617 - 1622. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				C. E Donovan and P. W Finn Immune mechanisms of childhood asthma Thorax, October 1, 1999; 54(10): 938 - 946. [Full Text]

				J. C. Celedon, A. A. Litonjua, S. T. Weiss, and D. R. Gold Day Care Attendance in the First Year of Life and Illnesses of the Upper and Lower Respiratory Tract in Children With a Familial History of Atopy Pediatrics, September 1, 1999; 104(3): 495 - 500. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Nafstad, J. A. Hagen, L. Øie, P. Magnus, and J. J. K. Jaakkola Day Care Centers and Respiratory Health Pediatrics, April 1, 1999; 103(4): 753 - 758. [Abstract] [Full Text]