Abstract
Objective: To observe possible association between the occurrence of infectious diseases during the first two years of life and the occurrence of asthma symptoms in six-year-old children. Methods: Cross-sectional study involving 956 six-year-old schoolchildren. Asthma symptoms were assessed through International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaires. Socio-demographic data, mother-reported infectious diseases during the child's first two years of life, family history of asthma and breastfeeding were included. Multivariate analysis was performed with all significant variables and those with a p-value <0.20 using Poisson Regression with a robust estimator. Results: The reported wheezing or whistling in the chest in the past 12 months prevalence was 18.7%. There was found a 9% higher prevalence of asthma at six years of age in children who had had respiratory infections in the first two years of life. Children with a family history of asthma had a 7% higher and independent prevalence of asthma at six years of age and those breastfed presented 6% lower independent prevalence of asthma at six years of age. Conclusions: Higher prevalence of asthma reports at six years of age was found in children whose mothers reported infectious respiratory diseases during the first two years and with family history of asthma. Lower prevalence was observed in breastfed children in the first two years of life.
Highlights
Asthma is a complex, multifactorial disease resulting from the interaction between genetic and environmental factors (Asher et al, 1995)
There was a 9% higher and independent prevalence of asthma at six years of age in children who had had respiratory infections in the first two years of life [PR= 1.09 p< 0.001]
Children with a family history of asthma had a 7% higher and independent prevalence of asthma at six years of age [PR= 1.07 p
Summary
Multifactorial disease resulting from the interaction between genetic and environmental factors (Asher et al, 1995). Asthma, according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), is defined as a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways and manifests itself through respiratory signs and symptoms such as dyspnea, wheezing, chest tightness or chest discomfort and cough (Global Initiative for Asthma, 2022). Such findings vary in intensity over time and are usually accompanied by variable limitation of the expiratory flow (Global Initiative for Asthma, 2022). Episodes of respiratory disorders in the first years of life have a greater influence on the late onset of asthma in relation to a particular viral trigger (Bonnelykke et al, 2015)
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