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Relationship between BCG scar size and asthma in children?

Rosângela de M Queiroz1, Silvia W Sarinho, Emanuel S C Sarinho

  • 1Department of Mother and Child Health, Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil.

Indian Pediatrics
|October 12, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Asthma risk may be linked to the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine scar size. Children with smaller BCG scars (under 5mm) showed a significantly higher risk of developing asthma.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Immunology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is widely administered for tuberculosis prevention.
  • Variations in BCG scar size are observed post-vaccination.
  • Potential links between BCG vaccination and immune-related conditions are under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between the size of the BCG scar and the incidence of asthma in children.
  • To determine if BCG scar diameter is a predictive marker for asthma development.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study design was employed.
  • 90 children diagnosed with asthma (cases) and 90 non-asthmatic children (controls) were recruited.
  • BCG scar size was quantified by measuring the average of its transverse and longitudinal diameters.

Main Results:

  • Asthmatic children were found to have a 3.2 times greater risk of presenting with a BCG scar diameter less than 5mm compared to non-asthmatic controls.
  • This association was statistically significant (95% CI = 1.40–7.63, P < 0.01).

Conclusions:

  • A higher frequency of smaller BCG scars (diameter < 5mm) was observed in asthmatic children and adolescents.
  • The clinical implications of this finding require further research and validation.
Abstract

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