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Gender‐ and age‐specific risk factors for wheeze from birth through adolescence
Author(s) -
Tse Sze Man,
Coull Brent A.,
Sordillo Joanne E.,
Datta Soma,
Gold Diane R.
Publication year - 2015
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.23113
Subject(s) - medicine , wheeze , risk factor , demography , young adult , pediatrics , gerontology , asthma , immunology , sociology
Summary Background and Objective Cross‐sectional gender differences in wheeze are well documented, but few studies have examined the gender‐specific risk factors for wheeze longitudinally. This study aims to identify gender‐ and age‐specific risk factors for wheeze from birth through adolescence. Methods The incidence of wheeze was ascertained every 6 months through age 14 years in a birth cohort consisting of 499 children with a parental history of atopy. Gender‐ and age‐specific risk factors were identified through generalized estimating equations. Results A total of 454 (91.0%) and 351 (70.3%) children were followed past age 7 and 13 years, respectively. Maternal asthma was a risk factor for wheeze in girls (OR = 2.05, 95% CI 1.44–2.91, P < 0.0001) and boys (OR = 1.79, 1.29–2.48, P = 0.0004) and had a similar effect on wheeze throughout the ages. Paternal asthma (OR = 1.83, 1.38–2.57, P = 0.0005) and infant bronchiolitis (OR = 2.15, 1.47–3.14, P < 0.0001) were risk factors for boys only, with similar effects throughout the ages. Conclusion Using a prospective cohort, we identified gender‐ and age‐specific risk factors for wheeze. The identification of gender‐specific early life risk factors may allow for timely interventions and a more personalized approach to the treatment of asthma. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2015; 50:955–962. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.