The effect of catch-up growth in the first year of life on later wheezing phenotypes.

Although wheezing phenotypes have previously been accurately described using well-defined cohorts reporting longitudinal wheezing, early-life factors which lead to development of each wheezing phenotype still remain uncertain [1, 2]. Birth-weight and catch-up growth affect later respiratory outcomes [3] but the influence of weight gain on specific wheezing phenotypes in term-born children has not been described. Rapid weight gain in early-life is associated with increased rates of childhood wheeze and lower lung function [4, 5]. In one meta-analyses, rapid infant weight gain was linked to pre-school wheeze and school-aged asthma; and increased childhood respiratory symptoms in another [6, 7]. Effect of weight gain in early-life in term-born children on wheezing in early-life is less well reported [8]. In contrast, rapid increase in body mass index in infancy, is associated with increased risk of asthma at school-age in preterm-born infants [9]. Footnotes This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the European Respiratory Journal . It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJ online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article. Conflict of interest: Dr. Kotecha reports grants from MRC, during the conduct of the study. Conflict of interest: Dr. Lowe has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Granell has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Watkins has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: John Henderson Conflict of interest: Dr. Kotecha reports grants from MRC, during the conduct of the study.