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A retrospective study of the relationship between childhood asthma and respiratory infection during gestation

C H Hughes1, R C Jones, D E Wright

  • 1Estover Health Centre, Plymouth, UK.

Clinical and Experimental Allergy : Journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|October 16, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Maternal respiratory infections during pregnancy are linked to childhood asthma. This association persists even after accounting for other risk factors, suggesting a potential role for respiratory viruses in asthma development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
  • Epidemiology
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Childhood wheeze is linked to factors like cord blood IgE levels and viral infections.
  • Antepartum hemorrhage has also been associated with childhood wheeze.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal respiratory tract infections during pregnancy and the development of childhood asthma.
  • To control for potential confounding factors influencing this relationship.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study involving 200 children aged 5-16 with asthma and matched controls without a history of wheeze.
  • Data on maternal infections, smoking, atopy, and socioeconomic status were collected from primary care records.
  • Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for confounding variables.

Main Results:

  • Maternal respiratory infections during pregnancy showed a significant association with childhood asthma (OR 1.69).
  • The association was stronger for infections in the first trimester and when cough was present.
  • The link remained significant after adjusting for factors including maternal smoking, atopy, and socioeconomic status.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal respiratory infections during pregnancy are associated with childhood asthma.
  • This association is independent of other studied factors, supporting the hypothesis of respiratory viruses in asthma etiology.
  • Further research into the role of respiratory viruses in asthma pathogenesis is warranted.
Abstract

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