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The relationship between infant airway function, childhood airway responsiveness, and asthma

Stephen W Turner1, Lyle J Palmer, Peter J Rye

  • 1School of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Western Australia, and Department of Respiratory Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Australia. s.w.turner@abdn.ac.uk

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
|February 7, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Reduced early-life pulmonary function, measured by VmaxFRC, is linked to persistent wheeze in children up to age 11. This early airway dysfunction independently predicts later wheezing, irrespective of atopy or airway responsiveness.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Child Health

Background:

  • Persistent wheeze (PW) in school-aged children is a significant health concern.
  • The early life predictors of PW, particularly pulmonary function, require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between early-life pulmonary function (VmaxFRC at 1 month) and the development of persistent wheeze up to 11 years of age.
  • To determine if reduced early pulmonary function independently predicts PW, considering factors like atopy and airway responsiveness (AR).

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study assessing VmaxFRC at 1 month of age.
  • Wheeze was identified up to 11 years; AR and atopy were assessed at 11 years.
  • Statistical analysis to identify independent predictors of PW.

Main Results:

  • Reduced VmaxFRC at 1 month was associated with recent wheeze at 11 years (p=0.03).
  • PW was most prevalent in infants with reduced VmaxFRC and either atopy or increased AR at 11 years.
  • Reduced VmaxFRC at 1 month and increased AR at 11 years were independent predictors of PW (p=0.03 and p<0.001, respectively).

Conclusions:

  • Reduced pulmonary function in early infancy is a significant predictor of persistent wheeze at 11 years of age.
  • This association is independent of childhood atopy and airway responsiveness, highlighting the importance of early lung development.

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