Maternal reports of child illness and the biochemical status of the child: the use of morbidity interviews in rural Bangladesh

In a longitudinal study of child growth and nutritional status in Bangladesh, child morbidity was recorded using health interviews with the mother. The aim of the present study was to establish whether maternal reports of child illness were associated with the biochemical health status of the child. Children aged 2-5 years (n 117) took part in the study and their mothers were interviewed every fortnight by Bangladeshi fieldworkers. Maternal reports of diarrhoea were associated with significantly lower plasma albumin concentrations (P < 0.001), poorer intestinal permeability (P < 0.001), higher plasma immunoglobulin A levels (P < 0.005) and higher alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) levels (P < 0.05) compared with children reported to be healthy. Children with fever had significantly higher ACT (P…