Table 2

Prevalences of symptoms. The children born with a gestational age (GA) ≤ 32 weeks were compared with those born with a GA >32 weeks (birth weight (bw) <1500 g) and with controls according to gender
Symptom
GA ≤ 32 w
 GA >32 w
 controls
 p-value GA ≤ 32 w
vs controls
 p-value GA >32 w
vs controls
 p-value GA ≤ 32 w
vs GA >32w


yes (%)
 yes (%)
 yes (%)


Have you had wheezing in
your chest at any time in
the last twelve months?
 females
 79(29.9)
 32(30.5)
 145(21.8)
 0.009
 0.05
 0.9

males
 42(17.4)
 15(19.7)
 122(18.9)
 0.6
 0.9
 0.6
Have you had this wheezing
when you did not have cold?
 females
 35(13.3)
 13(12.4)
 87(13.1)
 0.9
 0.8
 0.8

males
 25(10.4)
 8(10.5)
 73(11.3)
 0.7
 0.8
 0.96
Are you troubled by shortness
of breath when Hurrying on level ground
or walking up a slight hill?
 females
 60(26.8)
 28(34.1)
 104(16.3)
 <0.001
 <0.001
 0.2

males
 19(10.4)
 8(12.1)
 61(9.9)
 0.8
 0.5
 0.7
Do you get short of breath
walking with other people of your
own age on level ground?
 females
 17(7.5)
 6(7.5)
 11(1.7)
 <0.001
 0.001
 1.0

males
 5(2.8)
 2(3)
 9(1.5)
 0.23
 0.3
 1.0
Do you have to stop
for breath when walking at your
own pace on level ground?
 females
 12(5.3)
 4(5.1)
 1(0.2)
 <0.001
 <0.001
 0.9

males
 6(3.3)
 0(0)
 4(0.6)
 0.004*
 0.5
 0.3
Have you ever had asthma?
 females
 33(12.7)
 7(6.7)
 31(4.7)
 <0.001
 0.3
 0.1

males
 21(9)
 12(16)
 28(4.3)
 0.007
 <0.001
 0.08
Have you had an attack of asthma
in the last twelve months?
 females
 12(4.6)
 4(3.8)
 15(2.3)
 0.05
 0.33
 0.9

males
 5(2.4)
 2(2.7)
 2(0.3)
 0.004
 0.009
 0.7
Do you have hay fever?
 females
 20(7.6)
 8(7.5)
 135(20.4)
 <0.001
 0.002
 0.9

males
 23(8.4)
 8(10.5)
 109(17)
 0.005
 0.15
 0.8
Do you have eczema?
 females
 26(9.8)
 9(8.5)
 276(41.7)
 <0.001
 <0.001
 0.7

males
 23(9.4)
 8(10.5)
 196(30.5)
 <0.001
 <0.001
 0.8

Vrijlandt et al. Respiratory Research 2005 6:117   doi:10.1186/1465-9921-6-117