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Biomedical subjects

A Elliman

Publications and source records attributed to A Elliman.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

The growth of low-birth-weight children.

The growth of 171 seven-year-old children, free from major disability, with a birth weight of 2000 g or less was examined and compared with that of their own parents and of normal-birth-weight peers. Measurements included height, weight, occipitofrontal circumference, biparietal, occipitofrontal and bi-iliac diameters, triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness. Low-birth-weight children were shorter than their parents whereas those of normal birth weight were taller. For all parameters, particularly weight, the low-birth-weight children were significantly less well grown. There was no significant relationship between occipitofrontal circumference and intellectual ability.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1989

Clinical significance of airway responsiveness in children of low birthweight.

We report a prospective study of airway responsiveness in a cohort of 121 children of low birthweight (under 2,000 g) at 7 years and a random sample of 100 local schoolchildren of the same age. A positive airway response was defined as a 20% fall in peak expiratory flow rate in response to a cumulative histamine dose of 3 mumol or less. We found a moderate increase in airway responsiveness to inhaled histamine in the cohort (44%) compared with the reference group (22%). There was no significant association between airway responsiveness and any perinatal variables including the level of respiratory support. The findings suggested that neonatal respiratory illness or its treatment did not play a major role in determining the long-term airway responsiveness in these children. Amongst all factors examined, reduced airway function at the age of 7 was most strongly associated with airway responsiveness, independent of perinatal and familial factors. Airway responsiveness was associated with significantly more chest symptoms. We suggest that increased airway responsiveness to inhaled histamine in low birthweight children is a consequence rather than the cause of reduced airway function and argue against the presence of any other form of airway dysfunction as a cause of airway responsiveness.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1989

Lung function in children of low birth weight.

Lung function was recorded in a cohort of 130 age specific children of low birth weight (under 2000 g) and a reference population of 120 unselected local schoolchildren at 7 years of age. Children of the cohort were similar in height and forced vital capacity to the reference group, but had significantly reduced forced expiratory volume in 0.75 second and expiratory flow indices. Although neonatal respiratory illness was associated with reduced airway function, we were unable to confirm that this was a consequence of oxygen treatment or mechanical ventilation. Low birth weight, however, was closely associated with poor airway function independent of neonatal respiratory illness. Other factors of importance included the male gender and maternal smoking. The reduction in airway function observed in the low birthweight children was associated with cough but not wheeze. The disparity between the relatively well preserved vital capacity and reduced airway function suggests that very low birth weight, and hence prematurity, has its greatest effect on the subsequent growth of airway function. The absence of an association between neonatal oxygen score or mechanical ventilation and childhood lung function suggests that the long term effect of neonatal respiratory treatment is small compared with that of birth weight, maternal smoking, and male sex.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1989

Respiratory symptoms in children of low birth weight.

We recorded the respiratory history by questionnaire in a 7 year old cohort of children whose birth weight was under 2000 g and an unselected reference group of local schoolchildren of the same age. Complete data were obtained in 121 low birthweight children (90% of those studied): 62 who had no neonatal respiratory illness, 25 who had oxygen treatment only, and 34 who received mechanical ventilation (of whom 10 had bronchopulmonary dysplasia). The low birthweight children were no more likely to wheeze than the reference group, but frequent and troublesome cough was significantly more common, especially among children of very low birth weight (under 1500 g) who had received neonatal respiratory treatment. Neonatal mechanical ventilation was not associated with increased symptoms when compared with neonatal oxygen treatment alone. The prevalence of cough at the age of 7 was independently associated with the level of neonatal intensive care as defined by oxygen score. Although there was no excess of wheeze in the cohort compared with the reference group, there was a weak correlation between wheeze and the neonatal oxygen score as well as with maternal smoking. Loss of schooling due to respiratory symptoms in the nine months before this study was no greater in children of low birth weight than in the reference group.

Cohort Studies↗
PubMed1978

Battered babies.

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Child Abuse↗