Acute respiratory infections in early childhood and risk of asthma at age 7 years

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 2019-01, Vol.143 (1), p.407-410.e6
• Main Authors: Toivonen, Laura, Forsström, Ville, Waris, Matti, Peltola, Ville
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Allergic rhinitis; Antibiotics; Asthma; Atopy; Birth weight; Cesarean section; Children; Children & youth; Computerized physician order entry; Corticoids; Corticosteroids; Cough; Data collection; Diaries; Eczema; Enteroviruses; Etiology; Fever; Gestational age; Hospitalization; Hypersensitivity; Infections; Influenza A; Laryngitis; Medical records; Nose; Otitis media; Parainfluenza; Pneumonia; Population; Pregnancy; Prescriptions; Respiratory syncytial virus; Respiratory tract infection; Rhinitis; Rhinovirus; Ribonucleic acid; Risk factors; RNA; Siblings; Skin diseases; Smoking; Studies; Tables; Viruses
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.08.025

[...]we found that increased number of ARIs in the first 24 months of life was associated with an increased risk of asthma at age 7 years. Extracted RNA was reverse transcribed and the cDNA was amplified using real-time, quantitative PCR for rhinovirus, human enteroviruses, and respiratory syncytial virus as described earlier.E4,E5 All specimens collected during influenza seasons were analyzed by reverse transcription PCR for influenza A and B viruses.E6 For samples collected in January 2009 or later, laboratory-developed antigen detection tests were performed for influenza A and B viruses, parainfluenza type 1, 2, and 3 viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, and human metapneumovirus (89% of samples).Outcome definition The primary outcome was physician-diagnosed asthma at age 7 years, based on a diagnosis of asthma in the medical records, or a prescription of inhaled corticosteroids for asthma, when the child was aged 6.5 to 7.5 years. Adjusted binary logistic regression analyses were performed with background variables based on clinical plausibility and with P values of less than .10 in univariate analyses included in the final model (sex, birth by cesarean section, child's atopy at age 13 months, parental asthma, and parental smoking at child's age of 24 months). ARIs at age 0-23 mo Children with asthma at age 7 y (n = 63) Children without asthma at age 7 y (n = 718) P value No. of ARIs per year, mean (95% CI) 6.8 (6.1-7.7) 6.1 (5.9-6.3) .07 No. of ARIs per year, n (%) .009