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The effect of respiratory tract infections on reported asthma symptoms
Wenche Nystad1, Per Nafstad, Jouni J K Jaakkola
1Department of Population Health Sciences, National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway. wenche.nystad@folkehelsa.no
Insights
Respiratory tract infections are linked to increased wheezing and chest tightness in children. This association was observed in both children with and without asthma, highlighting the impact of infections on respiratory symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric respiratory health
- Epidemiology of childhood asthma
- Infectious disease impact on respiratory symptoms
Background:
- Wheezing and chest tightness are common symptoms associated with respiratory tract infections (RTIs).
- The presence of RTIs may influence the observed prevalence of asthma in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the relationship strength between key asthma symptoms (wheezing, chest tightness) and RTI prevalence.
- To compare this relationship in children diagnosed with asthma versus those without the condition.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 3,796 four-year-old children was assessed via parental questionnaires on respiratory symptoms and asthma history.
- Prevalence of wheezing and chest tightness over 12-month and 4-week periods was correlated with concurrent RTI occurrences.
- Statistical analysis included chi-square tests and calculation of 95% confidence intervals for prevalence differences.
Main Results:
- Children experiencing RTIs showed a higher prevalence of wheezing and chest tightness compared to those without infections.
- Wheezing prevalence was 17.5% in children with bronchitis versus 3.0% without (p<0.001).
- Chest tightness prevalence was significantly higher in children with asthma (59.3%) than without (3.7%) (p<0.001), increasing with RTI frequency in both groups.
Conclusions:
- Findings indicate a significant association between respiratory tract infections and the reporting of wheezing and chest tightness in children.
- These results are crucial for accurately interpreting epidemiological studies that use respiratory symptoms as health outcomes for asthma.
Background:
Wheezing and chest tightness is associated with respiratory tract infections. Thus the occurrence of respiratory tract infections may influence the prevalence of asthma.
Aims:
To assess the strength of relation between two main symptoms of asthma and the prevalence of respiratory tract infections in children with and without asthma.
Methods:
The study population was 3,796 children, four years of age, whose parents had answered a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms and asthma. The prevalence of wheezing and chest tightness in the last 12 months and four weeks was estimated according to the occurrence of respiratory tract infections during the corresponding time periods; 95% confidence intervals of the prevalence and the statistical significance of the differences in the prevalence by using chi-square test were calculated.
Results:
The prevalence of wheezing and chest tightness was higher in children who had experienced respiratory tract infections than in those who had not. The prevalence of wheezing was 17.5% among children who had experienced bronchitis and 3.0% among children whom had not (p<0.001). The prevalence of chest tightness in the last 12 months was 3.7% (95% CI 3.1-4.1) among children without asthma and 59.3% (95% CI 53.4-65.2) among children with asthma (p<0.001). The prevalence of wheezing and chest tightness increased with increasing number of different types of respiratory tract infections among children without asthma (p<0.001) and tended to be so among children with asthma.
Conclusions:
These findings have implications for the interpretation of results from epidemiological studies using respiratory symptoms as a health-related outcome of asthma.