High risk of adult asthma following severe wheezing in early life

Background: Severe wheezing in early life is associated with an increased risk of asthma during childhood and adolescence. The aim of the present follow-up was to investigate the asthma prevalence and risk factors for asthma in adulthood. Methods: We have prospectively studied asthma development in 101 children hospitalized due to severe wheezing before the age of 24 months. The cohort was re-investigated at a mean age of 27 years and tested for bronchial hyper-responsiveness and allergic sensitization. The response rate in adulthood was 81% (82/101). The results were compared with a population-based, age-matched control group (n=1,210) recruited from the West Sweden Asthma Study. Results: Current doctor-diagnosed asthma was found in 37% (30/82) compared with 7% (82/1,210) in the control group. The risk of adult asthma in the cohort compared with the control group was increased 10-fold (adjusted OR 10.0, 95% CI 5.3-18.7), independently of allergic rhinitis, gender, smoking and heredity. Within the cohort, current allergy (aOR 9.6, 95% CI 3.0-31.2) and female gender (aOR 3.2, 95% CI 1.1-9.3) independently increased the risk of adult asthma. Females with current allergy had the highest risk of adult asthma (OR 29.4, 95% CI 5.0-173.3), compared with males without allergy. When separately adjusting for factors present at admission in early life within the cohort, a family history of asthma was a significant risk factor for asthma in adulthood (aOR 4.0, 95% CI 1.3-12.5). Conclusion: Subjects with severe early wheezing have a 10-fold increase in the risk of adult asthma compared to an age-matched control group, adjusted for allergic rhinitis, gender, smoking and heredity. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2015; 50:789-797. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.