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Published on: August 7, 2017

Are influences during pregnancy associated with wheezing phenotypes during the first decade of life?

Ramesh J Kurukulaaratchy1, Linda Waterhouse, Sharon M Matthews

  • 1David Hide Asthma & Allergy Research Centre, St Mary's Hospital, Newport, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom.

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|September 29, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Maternal exposures during pregnancy, like environmental tobacco smoke, are linked to childhood wheezing phenotypes. Cat ownership may reduce the risk of persistent wheeze in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
  • Environmental Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Asthma's origins are increasingly linked to early life factors.
  • Understanding prenatal influences is crucial for preventing childhood respiratory conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal exposures during pregnancy and the development of childhood wheezing phenotypes.
  • To identify specific prenatal risk and protective factors for different wheeze patterns.

Main Methods:

  • A UK birth cohort study followed 1456 children to age 10.
  • Maternal pregnancy exposures were extracted from maternity records.
  • Wheezing phenotypes were defined based on symptoms recorded at ages 1, 2, 4, and 10 years.

Main Results:

  • Environmental tobacco smoke exposure in pregnancy increased the risk of early-onset persistent wheeze (OR=2.44) and early transient wheeze (OR=1.58).
  • Maternal asthma was associated with increased risk of early-onset persistent wheeze (OR=3.57).
  • Cat ownership during pregnancy was associated with a reduced risk of early-onset persistent wheeze (OR=0.30).
  • Male gender and low birthweight were associated with early transient wheeze.
  • No significant associations were found between prenatal environmental factors and late-onset persistent wheeze.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal exposures during pregnancy, alongside genetic factors, are significantly associated with childhood wheezing phenotypes.
  • Prenatal environmental tobacco smoke and maternal asthma are risk factors, while cat ownership may be protective for early-onset wheeze.
Abstract

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