Prevalence of wheezing and associated factors in Guarani indigenous children hospitalized for acute respiratory infections in Southern and Southeastern Brazil

Prevalence of wheezing was studied in Guarani indigenous children hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infections in Southern and Southeastern Brazil, recruited by a surveillance routine established in villages from May 2007 to June 2008. Data were obtained from hospital records. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios for wheezing were estimated according to categories of target variables, using Poisson regression with robust variance. Prevalence of wheezing was 58.1% (136/234). Risk factors that remained significantly associated with wheezing in the final model were: age bracket, inversely associated (011 months: reference; 24-35 months: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.40-0.99); hospitalization in the autumn (summer: reference; autumn: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.05-2.40); dyspnea (1.41, 95% CI: 1.09-1.83); chest indrawing (1.42, 95% CI: 1.16-1.73); crackles (1.43, 95% CI: 1.09-1.87). The results show a high disease burden related to wheezing and suggest the phenotype of early-onset persistent wheezing related to recurrence of viral respiratory infections.