Wheezing Phenotypes in Early Childhood and Their Associations with Atopy and Lung Function
Author Information
Author(s): Henderson J, Granell R, Heron J, Sherriff A, Simpson A, Woodcock A, Strachan D P, Shaheen S O, Sterne J A C
Primary Institution: University of Bristol
Hypothesis
Patterns of wheezing during early childhood may indicate differences in aetiology and prognosis of respiratory illnesses.
Conclusion
Wheezing phenotypes that begin after 18 months are most strongly associated with atopy and airway responsiveness.
Supporting Evidence
- Six wheezing phenotypes were identified in the study.
- Intermediate onset wheezing was associated with the highest odds of atopy.
- Late onset wheezing was also linked to increased airway responsiveness.
- Transient and prolonged early wheeze were not associated with atopy.
Takeaway
Kids who wheeze after 18 months are more likely to have allergies and breathing problems later on.
Methodology
Data on wheezing was collected from 6265 children at seven time points from birth to 7 years, and latent class analysis was used to identify wheezing phenotypes.
Potential Biases
Parental reporting of wheezing may be imprecise and could lead to misclassification of phenotypes.
Limitations
Loss to follow-up was greater in children from socially deprived backgrounds, which may have affected the results.
Participant Demographics
Children from a longitudinal birth cohort study in Avon, UK.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI 5.2 to 13.4
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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