Lower respiratory tract infection in infancy in relation to feeding pattern.

TLDR: Assessment of the relation between lower respiratory tract infection and feeding pattern in infancy found mixed feeding/artificial feeding had more incidence of LRTI than exclusively breast-fed children (1.7:1) and the mortality rate was 10 times more in mixed/Artificial fed infants than exclusively Breast fed infants.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To assess the relation between lower respiratory tract infection and feeding pattern in infancy. SETTING Hospital based descriptive. METHODS Two hundred and five infants presenting with lower respiratory infection (LRTI) admitted in the ward were studied over a period of one year. Criteria for the clinical diagnosis of LRTI were based on the lines of TUCSON CHILDREN RESPIRATORY STUDY. RESULTS Forty three percent of LRTI in infancy were seen in age group of 0 to 3 months. Sixty percents of pre-lacteal feeding and 71% of bottle-feeding were observed. Late introduction of solid food was very commonly practiced. In 64.7% solid food was introduced at the age of 9 to 12 months. Fifty three percent of LRTI were associated with diarrhoea, which was the commonest factor associated with mortality due to LRTI. There was male preponderance with male:female = 2.8:1(P value <0.001), which is highly significant. Mixed feeding/artificial feeding had more incidence of LRTI than exclusively breast-fed children (1.7:1) and the mortality rate was 10 times more in mixed/artificial fed infants than exclusively breast fed infants.