Respiratory Symptoms in Infants at Risk for Asthma and Surfactant Protein A
Author Information
Author(s): Melinda M Pettigrew, Janneane F Gent, Yong Zhu, Elizabeth W Triche, Kathleen D Belanger, Theodore R Holford, Michael B Bracken, Brian P Leaderer
Primary Institution: Yale University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Is there an association between surfactant protein A haplotypes and respiratory symptoms in infants at risk for asthma?
Conclusion
Polymorphisms within SFTPA loci may be associated with wheeze and persistent cough in white infants at risk for asthma.
Supporting Evidence
- 51% of infants experienced persistent cough during their first year.
- The 6A allele haplotype of SFTPA1 was associated with increased risk of persistent cough.
- Infants with the 6A/1A haplotype were over 3 times more likely to experience additional respiratory symptoms.
Takeaway
Some babies who might get asthma have a gene that makes them more likely to cough or wheeze. This gene is called surfactant protein A.
Methodology
The study involved a cohort of infants at risk for asthma, with data collected through questionnaires and interviews about respiratory symptoms and genetic testing for SFTPA haplotypes.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on maternal reports for respiratory symptoms and the restriction of analyses to a specific ethnic group.
Limitations
The study was limited to white infants, which may affect the generalizability of the findings to other ethnic groups.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on 221 white infants at risk for asthma due to having an older sibling with asthma.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.71, 7.98 for persistent cough; 95% CI 2.20, 10.11 for wheeze
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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