◎鄭寺音

Children born during the autumn months are 30 per cent more likely to go on to develop asthma than those whose birthdays lie at other times in the year, according to a new study.

秋天月份出生的小孩，比生日落在一年其他時候的小孩，多3成機率罹患氣喘，根據一份新研究指出。

Scientists found that youngsters born four months before the height of the flu season were significantly more likely to go on to develop the condition.

科學家發現，在流感季節高峰前4個月出生的小孩，更有可能患上這種疾病。

"Infant age at the winter virus peak independently predicts asthma development, with the highest risk being for infants born approximately four months prior to the peak, " said Dr Tina Hartert, from the centre for Asthma Research at Vanderbilt University, who led the study.

「單憑冬天病毒高峰期的嬰兒年齡，即可預知氣喘發展，風險最高的是約在高峰期前4個月出生的嬰兒。」領導研究的范德堡大學氣喘研究中心哈特特博士說。

"Birth during this time conferred a nearly 30 percent increase in odds of developing asthma."

「在這時候出生，罹患氣喘機率增加近3成。」

They found that although having a common respiratory infection called bronchiolitis during infancy increased the risk of asthma, the chances were even greater among children born in the autumn.

他們發現，雖然嬰兒期罹患常見的呼吸道感染「細支氣管炎」，會增加氣喘風險，但出生在秋天的小孩，罹患氣喘機率甚至更高。

新聞辭典

condition：名詞，疾病。

confer：動詞，給予，賦予。例句：An honorary doctorate was conferred on him by Edinburgh University.（他獲得愛丁堡大學頒發榮譽博士。）

odds：名詞，機會，可能性。例句：The odds are that he will get the nomiantion on the first ballot. （他很可能在第一次投票中獲得提名。）

自由時報-971204

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