Abstract

GIACHETTO, GUSTAVO; MARTINEZ, MARYSOL  and  MONTANO, ALICIA. Infecciones respiratorias agudas bajas de causa viral en niños menores de dos años: Posibles factores de riesgo de gravedad. Arch. Pediatr. Urug. [online]. 2001, vol.72, n.3, pp.206-210. ISSN 1688-1249.

Objective: to determine if passive exposure to tobacco smoke, overcrowding, malnutrition and mother’s low instruction level are risk factors for severe ALRI in children under two years. Methods: between May and September 1999 a case-control study was performed. Cases were children with ALRI who developed respiratory failure. Children with factors of comorbility were excluded. Controls were paired by sex, age, clinical gestational age and birth weight. Results: 31 cases and 31 controls were included. An statistically significant association between passive exposure to tobacco smoke and development of severe ALRI (OR 3,33, p< 0,05) was found. Overcrowding, malnutrition and mother’s instruction level were not risk factors for this group of patients. Conclusions: these results sustain the previously described association between passive exposure to tobacco smoke and severity of ALRI. More investigations will be necessary to better establish the importance of these and other possible risk factors.

Keywords : RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS; RISK FACTORS.