中国儿童哮喘患病率的地区差异与生活方式的不同有关

目的通过对环境因素及生活方式的比较研究,探讨导致中国不同地区儿童人群中哮喘患病率差异的原因。方法对10902名来自北京、广州、香港三城市的儿童进行横断面研究,按照国际儿童哮喘和过敏性疾病研究（ISAAC）第二阶段方案,由儿童家长或监护人完成问卷调查,并随机抽取3479名儿童进行吸人性过敏原的皮肤点刺试验,对哮喘、特应性与环境和生活方式危险因素的相关性进行Logistic回归分析。结果过去12个月喘息的现患率分别为：香港5．8％,北京3．8％,广州3．4％,香港显著高于中国大陆（OR1．64,95％CI1．35—1．99）。多变量Logistic回归分析显示,应用煤气煮食（OR2．08,95％CI1．32—3．26）、海绵枕头（OR1．94,95％CI1．19—3．16）、房间潮湿（OR1．84,95％CI1．25—2．71）均是“近期喘息”的危险因素。而棉被的使用（OR0．70,95％CI0．56—0．87）、母乳喂养（OR0．79,95％CI 0．66—0．96）及参加日托（OR0．73,95％CI0．59—0．88）是“近期喘息”的保护性因素。结论具有中国大陆生活特征的环境因素及生活方式（母乳喂养、参加日托、使用棉被、使用非海绵的枕头、非煤气的煮食燃料、家中墙上或天花板没有潮湿霉点）是导致中国香港与大陆儿童哮喘患病率差异的重要影响因素。     

儿童重型毛细支气管炎相关危险因素分析

目的 探讨儿童重型毛细支气管炎的相关危险因素.方法 回顾性分析209例毛细支气管炎患儿的临床资料,根据临床病情分为重型毛细支气管炎(27例)和普通型毛细支气管炎(182例)两组,采用单因素分析和多因素非条件Logistic回归分析探讨重型毛细支气管炎的相关危险因素.结果 单因素分析提示年龄(f =3.455;P=0.001)、被动吸烟(x2=6.119;P=0.013)、早产(x2=17.124;P =0.000)、肥胖(x2=5.673;P=0.017)、特应体质(x2=5.736;P =0.017)、先天性心脏病(x2=20.694;P=0.000)6个变量因素影响毛细支气管炎的临床严重程度;经多因素非条件Logistic回归分析表明年龄(OR 0.742;95％ CI0.601～0.917)、被动吸烟(OR3.300;95％ CI1.060 ～ 10.276)、早产(OR5.265;95％ CI 1.565～ 17.705)、先天性心脏病(OR 13.634;95％ CI3.015～ 61.663)是重型毛细支气管炎的危险因素.结论 年龄小、被动吸烟、早产、特应体质及先天性心脏病是重型毛细支气管炎的危险因素.     

乌鲁木齐地区喘息患儿发生支气管哮喘的危险因素

目的 探讨乌鲁木齐地区喘息患儿发生支气管哮喘(哮喘)的危险因素.方法 对2008年1 -12月在新疆医科大学第五附属医院门诊及住院的300例喘息患儿的临床资料进行统计.用统一的调查表调查其年龄、性别、湿疹、变应性鼻炎、食物过敏、家族过敏史/哮喘史、运动相关性喘息等.出院后通过门诊或电话进行随访.采用 Logistic回归分析方法对各因素与哮喘发生的关系及相关程度进行分析.结果 随访2a,275例获得随访;25例失访.275例喘息患儿在随访期内86例(31.2％)发生哮喘.Logistic回归分析发现湿疹、变应性鼻炎、家族过敏史/哮喘史、运动相关性喘息、反复下呼吸道感染( LRTI)、外周血嗜酸性粒细胞(EOS)增高与喘息患儿发生哮喘有关(湿疹:OR=2.376,95％ CI0.098～0.935,P=0.039;变应性鼻炎:OR=1.052,95％ CI2.267 ～14.283,P =0.024;家族过敏史/哮喘史:OR=1.886,95％CI1.004～3.542,P =0.048;运动相关性喘息:OR=1.881,95％ CI2.267 ～18.983,P =0.001;LRTI:OR=5.341,95％ CI1.676～ 10.983,P =0.016;外周血EOS增高:OR=3.915,95％ CI1.459～ 10.501,P=0.002).结论 个人过敏史(湿疹和变应性鼻炎)、家族过敏史/哮喘史、运动相关性喘息、LRTI、外周血EOS增高是乌鲁木齐地区喘息患儿发生哮喘的危险因素.     

婴儿期食物过敏的预后研究

目的了解婴儿期食物过敏（FA）的预后及影响因素。方法对119例患儿进行回顾性研究,采用Kaplan-Meier法计算食物耐受的累积概率,非条件Logistic回归模型分析食物耐受形成的预测因素和其他过敏性疾病发生的影响因素。结果鸡蛋、牛奶耐受的累计概率在诊断后1年分别为31％、42％;2年为62％、63％;3年为80％、77％;4年后均可达100％。牛奶、鸡蛋过敏患儿的皮肤点刺试验阳性强度是持续牛奶、鸡蛋敏感的预测因素（OR=2．535,95％CI：1．159～5．543;OR=2．654,95％CI：1．302～5．410,P均〈0．05）。本组13例患儿发生其他FA,危险因素是持续鸡蛋敏感（OR=6．109,95％CI：1．818～20．527,P〈0．05）;4例发生变态反应性鼻炎,15例发生支气管哮喘,危险因素是持续鸡蛋敏感和呼吸道过敏症状（OR=3．596,95％CI：1．429～9．045;OR：4．235,95％CI：1．152～15．563,P均〈0．05）。结论至少75％的鸡蛋或牛奶过敏患儿在诊断后3年内可获耐受。10．9％、12．6％和3．4％的FA儿童发生其他FA、支气管哮喘和变态反应性鼻炎。加强持续FA高危儿的筛查和管理,可能有助于改善FA的预后。     

慢性咳嗽患儿呼吸道高反应的危险因素

目的 探讨慢性咳嗽患儿呼吸道高反应的危险因素,为儿童慢性咳嗽的诊治提供依据.方法 选择2008年9月- 2009年10月就诊于本院呼吸科 门诊的慢性咳嗽患儿141例.男68例,女73例；年龄(6.56±1.89)岁.予问卷调查及采用Astograph法测定其呼吸道高反应性,对有关变量进行单因素分析,再将单因素分析有意义的变量进一步行Logistic逐步回归分析,应用STATA7.0统计软件进行统计学分析.结果 慢性咳嗽呼吸道反应性测定结果:呼吸道高反应106例,呼吸道反应正常35例.单因素分析有统计学意义的因素:直系亲属哮喘史、特应性皮炎史和被动吸烟.Logistic逐步回归分析显示,慢性咳嗽呼吸道高反应的独立危险因素有直系亲属哮喘史(OR=4.91；95％ CI:1.326 ～18.192)和特应性皮炎史(OR=0.26,95％CI:0.116～0.623).结论 直系亲属有哮喘史和患儿有特应性皮炎史是儿童慢性咳嗽呼吸道高反应的独立危险因素.     

高危晚期早产儿脑损伤病因学及其磁共振发现

目的 探讨以弥散加权成像(DWI)结合常规磁共振成像(T1WI-T2WI)诊断的高危晚期早产儿脑损伤的相关危险因素及临床特点,并分析不同时间MRI序列的信号特点及DWI的早期诊断价值。方法 首先对符合纳入标准的649例晚期早产儿的MRI片重新阅片,按照脑损伤评估标准得出诊断,其次收集相关的临床资料,分析不同类型脑损伤的危险因素和临床特点,并对其中271例确诊脑白质损伤（CWMD）的MRI序列进行分析,探讨不同类型CWMD的信号特点、损伤部位及结局。结果 ①晚期早产儿发生脑损伤332例（51.2%）,其中CWMD 271例（41.8%）,以局灶性CWMD为主（62.7％,170例）;颅内出血112例（17.3%）,主要为蛛网膜下腔出血55.4%（62/112）。②非出血性脑损伤的危险因素是男性（OR=1.510,95％CI：1.067～2.136,P=0.020）、阴道分娩（OR=2.367,95％CI：0.251～22.294 ,P=0.000）、早发型败血症（OR=2.194,95％CI：1.159～4.155,P=0.016）及抢救复苏史（OR=3.784,95％CI：1.908～7.506,P=0.000）。出血性脑损伤的危险因素是阴道分娩（OR=7.195,95％CI：4.249～12.184 ,P=0.000）和早发型败血症（OR=2.692,95％CI：1.185～6.117,P=0.018）。低钙血症（OR=2.593,95％CI：1.343～5.005,P=0.005）、晚发型败血症（OR=1.533,95％CI：1.012～2.323,P=0.044）和抽搐（OR=4.006,95％CI：1.790～8.970,P=0.001）是非出血性脑损伤组的主要临床特点。出血性脑损伤组主要表现为高血糖和抽搐。③局灶性CWMD 65.3％仅累及一处损伤,主要集中在侧脑室后脚（53.5%）,有97.1%病灶消失或病灶范围减少;广泛性CWMD 79.2%累及胼胝体和内囊;弥漫性CWMD 50％合并灰质损伤,全部发生软化。④生后2周内,DWI具有较高的敏感性,98.0%表现为高信号,T1WI信号无变化或稍高信号,伴或不伴T2WI低信号。局灶性CWMD DWI高信号持续时间长达3周以上,弥漫性CWMD DWI高信号持续时间2周以内。结论 晚期早产儿仍然容易受产前产时因素影响而发生不同类型的脑损伤。对有高危因素,或早期出现临床表现或电解质紊乱的患儿应选择生后2周内（1周内最佳）进行DWI和常规MRI检查,以早期发现病变。局灶性CWMD预后较好,合并有灰质损伤或弥漫性CWMD预后极差,需要动态随访,并进行早期康复训练。     

儿童反复肺炎危险因素的病例对照研究

目的：探讨无明确基础疾病儿童反复患肺炎的相关危险因素。方法：选择无明确基础疾病的106例反复肺炎患儿及106例单次肺炎患儿进行成组病例对照研究,采用单因素χ2检验及多因素logistic回归模型调查反复肺炎的危险因素。结果：单因素χ2检验分析结果显示,病例组患儿有喘息病史、食物或药物过敏史、湿疹病史及一过性粒细胞减少症的比例高于对照组,差异有统计学意义。多因素logistic回归分析结果显示,喘息病史（OR=13.387,95% CI: 5.541～32.343）、食物或药物过敏史（OR=4.267,95% CI: 2.081～8.751）及一过性粒细胞减少症（OR=3.606,95% CI: 1.806～7.202）是儿童反复肺炎的独立危险因素。结论：喘息病史、食物或药物过敏史及一过性粒细胞减少症病史增加了无明确基础疾病儿童反复患肺炎的风险。     

小儿法洛四联症根治术后早期死亡的危险因素分析

目的 探讨小儿法洛四联症(tetralogy of Fallot,TOF)手术后早期死亡的危险因素,以提高手术成功率,降低手术病死率.方法 2003年1 月至2010年12月期间在成都心血管病医院行TOF根治术患儿191例,其中男142例,女49例;年龄4个月～12岁.收集所有患儿术前、术中和术后的临床资料,分析影响TOF手术后早期死亡的危险因素.结果 191例患儿,围术期死亡6例(3.14％),死于手术后感染合并多器官功能衰竭3例,低心排血量综合征2例,脑部并发症1例.其中≤6个月患儿病死率6.67％(2/30),6个月～3岁患儿病死率1.41％ (1/71),3～12岁患儿病死率3.33％ (3/90).多因素Logistic回归分析结果表明,年龄≤6个月(OR=4.606,95％CI 1.811 ～11.719,P＜0.05)、术前血氧饱和度＜70％(OR=0.982,95％ CI 0.501 ～ 1.932,P＜0.01)、Nakata指数＜140mm2/m2(OR=16.960,95％CI 1.414 ～ 150.390,P＜0.01)、体外循环时间＞150 min(OR=4.398,95％CI2.091 ～9.216,P＜0.01)及术后多器官功能衰竭(OR=4.872,95％CI 2.583 ～ 9.192,P＜0.05)是小儿TOF根治术后早期死亡的危险因素.结论 临床上可根据患儿年龄、术前血氧饱和度、Nakata指数、体外循环时间及术后并发症预测TOF根治术后早期死亡的危险性.     

基于临床及肿瘤生物学特征的儿童髓母细胞瘤预后列线图构建及验证

目的?确定小儿髓母细胞瘤(MB)免疫组化结果中是否存在预后预测潜力的标志物，并整合临床特征构建指导MB患儿术后个性化管理的风险分层系统。方法 回顾分析2011年1月1日至2020年8月1日因MB行切除手术患儿的临床资料，构建logistic回归模型预测术后肿瘤残余这一短期结局(STO)。根据术后STO和影像转移特征将患儿分为高风险组和低风险组，采用COX回归模型分析影响复发、再次手术和生存等长期结局(LTO)的独立危险因素，应用R软件构建列线图模型，通过C指数、校准曲线和决策曲线分析(DCA)评价模型。结果 纳入MB患儿111例，男67例、女44例，中位年龄7.0(4.0～9.0)岁。肿瘤直径>5.0 cm(OR=8.07，95% CI：2.62～24.89)和MYC蛋白表达(OR=4.03，95% CI：1.29～12.63)可预测STO(AUC=0.81，95% CI：0.69～0.92，P<0.001)。高风险组(n=50)12个月无LTO生存率(LOFS)为76.0%(95% CI：70.0%～82.0%)，低风险组(n=61)为83.6%(95% CI：78.9%...     

环孢素治疗原发性肾病综合征的Meta分析

目的 评价环孢素治疗原发性肾病综合征(PNS)的疗效和安全性，比较在儿童和成人PNS间的异同。方法 检索Cochrane图书馆、PubMed、EMBASE、中国生物医学文献光盘数据库、中国期刊全文数据库和中国维普数据库，检索时间均从建库至2006年9月30日,由3名系统评价者进行资料提取和质量评价,对同质资料运用RevMan 4.2.8软件进行Meta分析。结果 共纳入15篇文献（n＝796）。根据随机方法、分配隐藏、盲法和随访情况描述评分，3篇为A级，10篇为B级，2篇为C级。按年龄、测量指标及干预措施进行亚组分析。Meta 分析结果示:①环孢素治疗组与安慰剂或空白对照组比较，儿童PNS研究:6个月时完全缓解率:OR = 12.64, 95％CI:1.46～109.48，6个月时总缓解率:OR=22.57,95％CI:4.56～111.76，要优于对照组；18个月时总缓解率:OR = 1.96, 95％CI:0.58～6.56，高血压发生率:OR=0.93,95％CI:0.11～7.59，终末期肾病发生率及病死率:OR = 0.63, 95％CI:0.12～3.47，与对照组差异无统计学意义；成人PNS研究:6个月时总缓解率（高质量文献组）:OR=11.48,95％CI:4.72～27.92，18个月时总缓解率:OR=2.71,95％CI:1.10～6.67， 优于安慰剂或空白对照组；高血压发生率高于安慰剂或空白对照组（OR=2.89,95％CI:1.23～6.80）；6个月时完全缓解率:OR = 1.92, 95％CI:0.78～4.70，6个月时总缓解率（低质量文献组）:OR=0.88,95％CI:0.34～2.30，终末期肾病发生率或病死率:OR=0.61,95％CI:0.28～1.33，与安慰剂或空白对照组差异无统计学意义。②环孢素联合糖皮质激素组与大剂量糖皮质激素（>1 mg·kg-1·d-1）组比较:儿童PNS研究:6个月时总缓解率优于大剂量糖皮质激素组:OR=1.79,95％CI:1.00～3.19；24个月时总缓解率与大剂量糖皮质激素组差异无统计学意义（OR=1.14,95％CI:0.56～2.32）。③环孢素治疗组与其他免疫抑制剂治疗组比较，儿童PNS研究:24个月时总缓解率:OR=0.10,95％CI:0.03～0.29，要差于对照组，6个月时完全缓解率:OR=126,95％CI:0.33～4.73，6个月时总缓解率:OR=1.57,95％CI:0.65～3.78，高血压发生率:OR=3.15,95％CI:0.12～82.16，与对照组差异无统计学意义。成人PNS研究:6个月时总缓解率:OR=7.77,95％CI:2.17～27.83，要优于对照组；6个月时完全缓解率:OR=1.01,95％CI:0.34～3.02，24个月时完全缓解率:OR=0.95,95％CI:0.35～2.57，终末期肾病发生率及病死率:OR=0.76,95％CI:0.26～2.24，与其他免疫抑制剂治疗组差异无统计学意义。环孢素与血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂比较，由于只有一项半随机对照试验纳入，因此其确切结果有待于进一步论证。结论 现有的证据显示:环孢素可以改善儿童和成人PNS的近期（6个月）疗效,不能改善其远期疗效（18或24个月）和终点疗效；总的趋势来看，环孢素治疗成人PNS疗效要好于儿童PNS，同时高血压发生率也要高于儿童PNS。     

Prevalence of childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in Urumqi and Beijing

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of asthma and other allergies in children in Urumqi and Beijing, compared with that in Hong Kong. METHODS: A total of 7754 primary school students were randomly selected to participate in the study. Data were collected in 1995-96 using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) protocol for 6- and 7-year-olds. The study design and data quality assurance in all aspects followed the protocol, including the double entry of data. RESULTS: The questionnaire response rate was high (98.9%). Beijing children reported significantly more asthma than those living in Urumqi in three categories: wheezing or whistling in the chest in the past year (6.0%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 5.1-6.9% vs 2.9%, 2.3-3.5%, P < 0.001), sleeping disturbed due to wheezing (1.3%, 0.9-1.7% vs 0.6%, 0.3-0.9%, P < 0. 03) and having experienced asthma ever (10.7%, 9.6-11.8% vs 7.6%, 6. 6-8.6%, P < 0.001). The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (30.0% vs 31. 1% estimated as 12-month nasal symptoms in Beijing and Urumqi, respectively) and eczema (2.8% vs 2.0% recorded as 12-month itchy rash) in the two cities were not significantly different. A similar study was also performed in Hong Kong in 1995 using the same ISAAC protocol. The children in Urumqi and Beijing had fewer (P < 0.05) allergic symptoms compared to those living in Hong Kong (n = 3618). The 12-month prevalence of wheezing, nasal symptoms and itchy rash found in Hong Kong were 9.2% (95% CI: 8.2-10.2%), 35.1% (33.5-36.7%) and 4.2% (3.5-4.9%), respectively. CONCLUSION:: Urumqi, Beijing and Hong Kong represent communities at different stages of westernization and the results from these three cities reflect a worldwide trend for an increasing prevalence of allergies along with westernization. These three cities could assist in identifying risk factors involved in the increase in asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema.     

Lung function and bronchial hyper-responsiveness 11 years after hospitalization for bronchiolitis

AIM: Atopic infants hospitalized for wheezing not caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) carry the highest risk for later asthma. In the present paper, early risk factors for later lung function abnormalities and for bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) were evaluated in 81 children, hospitalized for bronchiolitis in infancy, at the median age of 12.3 years. METHODS: The basic data, including data on atopy in children and viral aetiology of bronchiolitis, had been collected on entry to the study at less than 2 years of age. Lung function was studied by flow-volume spirometry (FVS), and BHR by methacholine and exercise challenge tests 11.4 years after hospitalization during infancy. RESULTS: RSV aetiology of bronchiolitis was associated with reduced forced vital capacity (FVC; 93.65% of predicted +/- 11.05 vs. 99.57%+/- 12.59, p = 0.009). Early sensitization to inhalant allergens (OR 12.59, 95% CI 2.30-68.77) and maternal smoking during pregnancy (OR 4.58, 95% CI 1.28-16.39) were associated with BHR to exercise, and early atopic dermatitis (OR 3.48, 95% CI 1.09-11.10) was associated with BHR to methacholine. CONCLUSIONS: RSV bronchiolitis was associated with a restrictive pattern of lung function. Early atopy and maternal smoking during pregnancy may play a role in the development and persistence of BHR.     

High body mass index, asthma and allergy in Swedish schoolchildren participating in the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood: Phase II

AIM: To assess the relationship between high body mass index (BMI) and asthma and atopic manifestations in 12-y-old children. METHODS: The relationship between high BMI and asthma symptoms was studied in 457 sixth-grade children, with (n = 161) and without (n = 296) current wheeze. High BMI was defined as > or = 75th percentile of gender-specific BMI reference values for Swedish children at 12 y of age; overweight as a subgroup of high BMI was defined as > or = 95th percentile. Children with a BMI < 75th percentile served as controls. Questionnaires were used to assess asthmatic and allergic symptoms, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness was assessed by hypertonic saline provocation tests. RESULTS: Current wheeze was associated with high BMI after adjustment for confounding factors (adjusted OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0-2.5) and overweight had an even more pronounced effect (adjusted OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.0-3.6). In addition, asthma severity was associated with high BMI, as evaluated by the number of wheezing episodes during the previous 12 mo among the wheezing children (adjusted OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-4.0). There was also an association between high BMI and the presence of eczema in wheezing children (adjusted OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.0-4.6). However, high BMI was not significantly associated with hay fever, positive skin prick tests or bronchial hyperresponsiveness. CONCLUSION: The study confirms and extends a previously observed relationship between BMI and the presence of wheezing and asthma.     

Indoor environment,atopy and the risk of asthma in children in New Zealand

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between the indoor environment, atopy and asthma in 7–9-year-old children. Cases and controls were randomly selected from children who participated in the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) in Wellington, New Zealand. Cases were children with a previous diagnosis of asthma and current medication use (n = 233) and controls were children with no history of wheezing and no diagnosis of asthma (n = 241). Information was recorded about the indoor environment during the first year of life and currently. Dust was sampled from floors and beds and Der p 1 and Fel d 1 measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Skin-prick tests were performed with eight common allergens. Sensitization to Dermatophagoides farinae (OR = 3.19; 95% CI 1.74–5.84), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (OR = 2.06; 95% CI 1.16–3.65) and cat (OR = 3.89; 95% CI 1.06–14.30) were independently associated with current asthma. The use of a sheepskin in the first year of life (OR = 1.91; 95% CI 1.11–3.33) was also independently associated with current asthma but current Der p 1 levels showed no association with current asthma. Exposures in early life may be more important than current exposures in determining asthma at age 7–9 years. Prospective studies are needed in New Zealand to determine the relative importance of early life exposures to Der p 1 and other risk factors for asthma.     

Epidemiologic characteristics of rhinitis in Turkish Children: the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) phase 2

Rhinitis is a common problem with important comorbidities. In order to search the association between rhinitis, allergic phenotypes and other risk factors in Turkish children, a parental questionnaire about allergic diseases and risk factors, and skin prick test (SPT) with 13 inhalant allergens were performed in a population-based sample of 2774 children aged 9-11 yr. Bronchoprovocation testing with hypertonic saline (HS)and total IgE analysis were limited to a subsample of 350 children. Rhinitis was defined as a problem with sneezing, rhinorrhea, or nasal congestion when the child did not have a viral respiratory infection. The prevalences of ever rhinitis, current (last 12 months) rhinitis (CR), and ever hay fever were 36.3%, 30.6%, and 8.3%, respectively. SPT positivity rate was 20.4% among children with CR. Current wheezing and flexural dermatitis were significantly associated with CR. CR significantly increased the risk of asthma among both atopic and non-atopic subjects [odds ratio (OR), 3.98; 95% CI, 1.81-8.76; and OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.82-4.26, respectively]. The association between CR and bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) was not significant. The multiple logistic regression analysis revealed family atopy (OR=2.25, 95% CI=1.79-2.83, p<0.001), current indoor heating with gas stove (OR=1.78, 95% CI=1.18-2.64, p=0.006) and dampness/molds at home during the first year of life (OR=1.70, 95% CI=1.25-2.31, p=0.001) as significant risk factors for CR. Turkish school children showed a high prevalence of rhinitis with a preponderance of non-atopics. The highly significant association between rhinitis and asthma independent of atopic sensitization emphasize the importance of non-atopic forms of rhinitis.     

Headache and asthma

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between headache and asthma, bronchodilators and atopy in school children. A cross-sectional survey of all primary school children was conducted in two towns near Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia; one in the vicinity of two coal-fired power stations, the other free of outdoor industrial air pollution. The main outcome measures were frequent headache, wheezing, bronchial reactivity, use of bronchodilators and atopy. Eight hundred and fifty-one primary school children aged 5-12 years participated (92% response rate). Twenty-three per cent of the children were reported to have had a history of frequent headache. Crude odds ratios indicated that the odds of frequent headache was significantly higher in children with asthma and atopy and where there was a smoker in the home, but that there was no association between frequent headache and use of bronchodilators or the sex of the child or socio-economic status measured as father's occupation. Stepwise logistic regression with frequent headache as the outcome of interest showed that, after adjusting for age and smoking in the home, the odds ratio for asthma (defined as current wheeze) was 3.24 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.19-4.77). The similarly adjusted odds ratio for asthma defined as bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR).was 1.60 (95% Cl 1.09-2.37). Atopy was not statistically significantly associated with headache for either model. Asthma (defined as wheeze or BHR) is an independent risk factor for frequent headache. The relationship between headache and asthma is an association with bronchial hyperresponsiveness rather than atopy.     

Prevalence of asthma symptoms among Turkish Cypriot schoolchildren

We assessed the prevalence of symptoms suggestive of asthma in Turkish Cypriot schoolchildren and the associated risk factors using a slightly modified version of the ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire. The questionnaire and questions regarding risk factors were issued to the parents of 2,822 children aged six to 14 years. The response rate was 89.6 percent. The cumulative and 12-month prevalence of wheezing were 14.7 and 4.8 percent, respectively. The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma was 11.4 percent. Family history of atopy was the strongest risk factor for "ever wheezing" (odds ratio [OR] 1.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.52-1.92) and physician-diagnosed asthma (OR 1.71, CI 1.53-1.93). This study demonstrates that symptoms suggestive of asthma are quite common and constitute a major health problem in Northern Cyprus.     

Prevalence of asthma-associated symptoms in Turkish children

The aim of the first national cross-sectional survey was to determine the prevalence of asthma-like respiratory symptoms and the associated risk factors among children aged 0-17 via interview with the parents by primary care physicians. They were selected through stratified two-stage cluster probability sampling in urban and rural parts of randomly selected 27 of 81 administrative districts in Turkey. Data was collected for 46,813 children (23,512 males and 23,301 females) of whom 66 percent resided in urban areas. The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma was 0.7 percent. The lifetime and current (last 12 months) prevalences were 14.7 percent and 2.8 percent for asthma, and 15.1 percent and 3.4 percent for wheezing respectively. The presence of personal atopy and history of family atopy were the most significant risk factors for current prevalences of wheezing, and asthma [adjusted Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were 6.2 (CI=4.0-9.5) and 1.8 (CI=1.3-2.4) for wheezing, and 8.5 (CI=5.6-12.9) and 1.9 (CI=1.4-2.5) for asthma, respectively]. Though there were no significant differences among those residing in urban versus rural areas regarding the current prevalences of asthma and wheezing, those living in coastal areas had considerably higher current prevalences than those inland (OR=2.6, CI=1.9-3.5 for wheezing, and OR=2.3, CI=1.7-3.1 for asthma). Residence in northern Turkey appeared to be a significant risk factor for wheezing (OR=1.9, CI=1.4-2.5), and children resident in southern Turkey exhibited the highest risk for occurrence of asthma (OR=1.5, CI=1.1-2.0) compared with eastern Turkey. In conclusion, the respiratory symptoms associated with asthma were an important cause of morbidity in childhood in Turkey. The discrepancy between prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma and lifetime and/or current asthma prevalence figures may reflect the reluctancy of both physicians and parents to diagnose this condition. Besides strongest associations with personal atopy and atopic heredity, there were significant differences in prevalence rates between children residing in different regions, supporting the role of environmental factors.     

Risk factors associated with wheezing in infants

Objectiveto identify possible risk factors associated with wheezing in infants (12-15 months-old) in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil.Methodsthis was a cross-sectional study performed by applying a standardized written questionnaire from the international study on wheezing in infants (Estudio Internacional de Sibilancia en Lactantes - EISL), phase 3. Parents and/or guardians of infants were interviewed at primary health care clinics or at home from August of 2009 to November of 2010. Factors associated to wheezing were studied using bivariate and multivariate analysis (using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences [SPSS] v.18.0), and expressed as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).Resultsthe written questionnaire was answered by 1,060 parents and/or guardians. The risk factors for wheezing were: history of asthma in the family [mother (OR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.07-2.43); father (OR = 1.98; 95% CI = 1.22-3.23); siblings (OR = 2.13; 95% CI = 1.18-3.87)]; history of previous pneumonia (OR = 10.80; 95% CI = 4.52-25.77); having had more than six upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) (OR = 2.95; 95% CI = 2.11-4.14); having had first URTI before the third month of life (OR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.04-2.17); living in a moderately polluted area (OR = 1.59; 95% CI = 1.08-2.33); paracetamol use for URTI (OR = 2.13; 95% CI = 1.54-2.95); and antibiotic use for skin infection (OR = 2.29; 95% CI = 1.18-4.46).Conclusionsthe study of risk factors for wheezing in the first year of life is important to help physicians identify young children at high risk of developing asthma and to improve public health prevention strategies in order to reduce the morbidity of wheezing in childhood.