Wheezing and bronchial hyper-responsiveness in early childhood as predictors of newly diagnosed asthma in early adulthood: a longitudinal birth-cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Incidence of asthma increases during early adulthood. We aimed to estimate the contributions of sex and early life factors to asthma diagnosed in young adults.

Methods

1246 healthy newborn babies were enrolled in the Tucson Children's Respiratory Study. Parental characteristics, early-life wheezing phenotypes, airway function, and bronchial hyper-responsiveness to cold dry air and sensitisation to Alternaria alternata were determined before age 6 years. Physician-diagnosed asthma, both chronic and newly diagnosed, and airway function were recorded at age 22 years.

Findings

Of 1246 babies enrolled, 849 had follow-up data at 22 years. Average incidence of asthma at age 16-22 years was 12.6 per thousand person-years. 49 (27%) of all 181 cases of active asthma

SUBMITTER: Stern DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2831297 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature