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Published on: August 7, 2017

Persistence and remission in childhood asthma: a population-based asthma birth cohort study

Teresa To1, Andrea Gershon, Chengning Wang

  • 1Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada. teresa.to@sickkids.on.ca

Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
|December 7, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Early asthma diagnosis and healthcare use predict persistent childhood asthma. Attentive follow-up and management are crucial in the initial years to improve long-term outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Epidemiology
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Childhood asthma is a significant public health concern with variable long-term persistence.
  • Predicting asthma persistence is crucial for timely intervention and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine and predict the persistence of childhood asthma.
  • To identify early indicators of persistent asthma in children.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal population-based cohort study of children diagnosed with asthma before age 6 in Ontario, Canada.
  • Follow-up until age 11, defining persistent asthma based on continued asthma events.
  • Logistic regression analysis to assess risks associated with early health service use.

Main Results:

  • Over half of children (54.4%) had a second asthma encounter within 1 year of diagnosis.
  • Children hospitalized for asthma in the first year had a 3-fold risk of persistent asthma.
  • At least 4 physician visits within the first year increased persistent asthma risk by 2.6-fold.

Conclusions:

  • Intensive health services use within the first year post-diagnosis is a strong predictor of persistent childhood asthma.
  • Highlights the need for proactive follow-up, management, and education strategies in early childhood asthma care.
Abstract

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