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Increased asthma risk and impaired quality of life after bronchiolitis or pneumonia in infancy
Author(s) -
Backman Katri,
PiippoSavolainen Eija,
Ollikainen Hertta,
Koskela Heikki,
Korppi Matti
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.22842
Subject(s) - medicine , bronchiolitis , asthma , pneumonia , pediatrics , quality of life (healthcare) , respiratory disease , respiratory system , lung , nursing
Summary Background Recent studies have revealed that adulthood asthma has its origin in early childhood. Aim The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of asthma and respiratory health‐related quality of life in adults 30 years after hospitalization for bronchiolitis or pneumonia in infancy. Methods Patients who were hospitalized for bronchiolitis or pneumonia at age under 24 months in 1981–1982 have been followed in repeated visits. In 2010, 48 of the 83 former patients with bronchiolitis (57.8%), 22 of the 44 former patients with pneumonia (50.0%), and 138 matched controls participated in the clinical study at the age of 28–31 years. The participants completed a structured questionnaire on respiratory symptoms, the Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and underwent 2‐week peak expiratory flow (PEF) monitoring. Asthma was defined as doctor‐diagnosed and self‐reported asthma based on doctor‐prescribed medication for asthma, the presence of asthma‐presumptive symptoms, and the results of home PEF monitoring. Results Both doctor‐diagnosed asthma (31.3% vs. 10.9% adjusted P = 0.002) and self‐reported asthma (35.4% vs. 14.5% 0.003), as well as repeated on‐demand use of bronchodilators (35.4% vs. 14.5% 0.002), and regular use of inhaled corticosteroids (20.8% vs. 8.7% 0.023) were more common in former bronchiolitis patients than in controls. Former bronchiolitis and pneumonia patients had higher total SGRQ scores than controls. The median scores were 5.4 (IQ 25–75 0.0–14.7, P < 0.001) in bronchiolitis group, 4.9 (1.3–14.8, 0.012) in pneumonia group compared to controls 1.5 (0.0–6.0). Conclusion Hospitalization for bronchiolitis in infancy is associated with an increased risk of asthma, and an increased use of asthma medication in adulthood at the age of 28–31 years. Impaired respiratory health‐related quality of life in adulthood as measured by the SGRQ is present after bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infancy. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2014; 49:318–325. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.