Cohort studycited by the Tayebat archiveabstract only checked A-ABX-06 standard review
Antibiotics and asthma (Canada)
Antibiotic use in children is associated with increased risk of asthma.
Overview
Marra F et al.. Pediatrics 2009 · PMID 19255032 · DOI 10.1542/peds.2008-1146
Infant antibiotics were linked to a small increased asthma risk.
Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: moderate
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Link.
- How was the study done?
Cohort.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
251,817.
- What was actually found?
Small risk.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Small.
- What are the study's limitations?
Confounding.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Association.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Moderate.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Causation.
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Marra F, Marra CA, Richardson K, Lynd LD, Kozyrskyj A, Patrick DM, Bowie WR, Fitzgerald JM
- Journal
- Pediatrics
- Year
- 2009
- Identifier
- PMID 19255032 DOI 10.1542/peds.2008-1146
- Verification
- verified – PubMed E-utilities efetch, 2026-10-25
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
not stated in abstract/record
2. Research question
Antibiotics before 1 year and childhood asthma
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Cohort study – Administrative birth cohort, Cox models
- Population
BC births 1997-2003
- Country
Canada
- Period
1997-2003
- Sample size
251,817
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
Antibiotics first year
- Comparator
Unexposed
- Endpoints
Asthma after 24 months
- Statistical methods
Cox, extensive adjustment incl. infections
5. Actual results
- Results
Small increased risk; dose-response; highest >4 courses (HR values not in abstract).
- Absolute risks
not reported
- Authors' conclusion
Small risk increasing with courses.
6. Strengths
- Large
7. Weaknesses
- No sibling control
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- ROBINS-E
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- some concerns
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
10. Relevance to the specific claim
11. Independent contrary findings
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
Moderate.
13. Overall methodological judgement
Association.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | moderate |
| Risk of bias | some concerns |
| Precision of results | high |
| Directness | direct |
| Reproducibility | partly replicated |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | mixed |
| Regional transferability | moderate |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | not applicable |
14. Open questions
15. Linked fact checks
- Antibiotic exposure in early life causes asthma and allergic disease. – Studies supporting the claim
Use by the Tayebat archive
Note: according to the archive, the studies were compiled by the archive operators. Whether Dr. Elawady himself cited this study is not established.
- What the archive says about the study
Bibliography only.
- A. What was actually studied?
Antibiotics and asthma.
- B. What did the authors find?
Small risk.
- C. What conclusions do the authors themselves draw?
Small risk.
- D. What does the archive derive from it?
Supports link.
- E. Is this derivation scientifically justified?
Justified as association.
- Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive)
- not applicable