Authors
Papak Veerajitt, Kamolwish Laoprasopwattana, Vanlaya Koosakulchai, Kemmapon Chumchuen, Nattaporn Tassanakijpanich
Published in
Journal of tropical pediatrics. Volume 72. Issue 6. Oct 09, 2026.
Abstract
Acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) are a major contributor to infant morbidity globally. We aimed to identify modifiable behavioral risk factors for ARI among infants in a tropical, resource-limited setting. This prospective cohort study enrolled healthy term infants (∼2 months old) at Songklanagarind Hospital. The primary exposures included four modifiable factors during the first 6 months of life: exclusive breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, pacifier usage, and passive smoking. We used multiple Poisson regression models to identify factors associated with the frequency of ARI between 6 and 12 months of age. A cohort of 671 infants was enrolled, of whom 271 (40.3%) experienced at least one episode of ARI between 6 and 12 months of age, with the majority (69.7%) experiencing only one episode. Infants who were bottle-fed during the first 6 months of life had a higher risk of ARI compared with those who were not [incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05-1.82, P = .025], and the risk increased with longer duration of bottle use. A similar trend was observed with pacifier use, which was associated with an increased risk of ARI (IRR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.02-1.71, P = .031). While most participants were breastfed and exposed to passive smoking during the first 6 months, no significant associations with ARI were identified. Bottle-feeding and pacifier use were associated with 37% and 33% increases in risk of ARI, respectively. These findings can inform child health supervision and preventive care guidelines.
PMID:
42854097
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 10 Oct 2026.
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