Sex differences in factors associated with childhood- and adolescent-onset wheeze.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Factors predicting the development of wheeze may differ between sexes and between childhood and adolescence.

Methods

A New Zealand birth cohort of 1,037 children was followed to age 26. For this analysis, those reporting recurrent wheezing at two or more assessments were classified as "wheezers." We examined risk factors for development of wheeze before age 10 (childhood) and subsequently (adolescent-onset) for males and for females separately using Cox regression modeling.

Results

Males more often developed childhood wheeze (p = 0.002) and females adolescent-onset wheeze (p < 0.001). Maternal atopy (asthma or hay fever) was a risk factor for childhood wheeze in both sexes (hazard ratio [HR], 1.48, p < 0.05 for males; HR, 2.37, p < 0.001 for females). Patern

SUBMITTER: Mandhane PJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2718447 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature