Table 1

Characteristics of children who were and were not seen at age 3 years

Parental characteristicsChildren seen at 3 years (n=1548)Children not seen at 3 years (n=320)p Value
Mean (SD) mother's age at child's birth (years)30.2 (3.8)29.4 (3.8)0.001
Mother's education A level or above, n (%)900 (57%)150 (47%)<0.001
Maternal smoking during pregnancy, n (%)245 (16%)80 (27%)<0.001
Maternal asthma, n (%)344 (22%)74 (24%)0.599
Maternal eczema in childhood, n (%)275 (18%)50 (16%)0.432
Maternal rhinitis, n (%)639 (42%)118 (38%)0.225
Paternal asthma, n (%)264 (17%)60 (20%)0.567
Paternal eczema in childhood, n (%)156 (11%)31 (10%)0.897
Paternal rhinitis, n (%)506 (34%)102 (34%)0.883
Birth characteristics
Mean (SD) birth weight (g)3525 (475)3456 (467)0.020
Mean (SD) gestational age (weeks)40.1 (1.2)40.1 (1.2)0.909
Primiparous, n (%)704 (46%)114 (36%)0.001
Attempted breastfeeding, n (%)*1269 (83%)162 (70%)<0.001
Characteristics at 6-month follow-up*
Maternal smoking, n (%)284 (18%)73 (30%)<0.001
Other smokers in the home, n (%)461 (31%)86 (35%)0.145
Ever wheezed, n (%)402 (26%)83 (34%)0.013
Cat or dog in home, n (%)699 (45%)105 (43%)0.384
Characteristics at 1-year follow-up*
Wheezed in past 6 months, n (%)464 (30%)80 (41%)0.002
Cat or dog in home, n (%)675 (44%)82 (42%)0.575
Characteristics at 2-year follow-up*
Wheezed in past year, n (%)414 (27%)28 (27%)0.954
  • * Of the 320 children not seen at 3 years, 247 were seen at 6 months, 196 at 1 year and 104 at 2 years.