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[Is appearance of bronchiolitis affected by environmental and genetic factors?]
V Benigno1, R A Cusimano, G Colanino
1Istituto di Pediatria, Università di Palermo, Italia.
Insights
This study on infant bronchiolitis found fewer atopic predispositions but more smoking cohabitants among hospitalized children compared to controls. Breastfeeding rates were also lower in the patient group.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Bronchiolitis is a common respiratory infection in infants.
- Understanding risk factors is crucial for prevention and management.
- Previous studies suggest links between environmental and genetic factors and bronchiolitis severity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential risk factors associated with bronchiolitis in infants.
- To compare epidemiological and clinical data of hospitalized infants with a control group.
- To assess the role of family history of atopy, feeding type, socioeconomic status, passive smoking, and immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 39 infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis and 64 healthy infants.
- Data collected included family history of atopy, infant feeding method, overcrowding index, passive smoking exposure, and serial IgE levels.
- Statistical comparison between the case and control groups.
Main Results:
- Family predisposition to atopy was lower in the bronchiolitis group compared to controls.
- Overcrowding index showed similar prevalence in both groups.
- A lower proportion of breast-fed infants and a higher proportion of infants with smoking cohabitants were observed in the bronchiolitis group, though not statistically significant.
- Elevated IgE levels were found in 20.69% of the studied infants.
Conclusions:
- While not statistically significant, findings suggest potential associations between reduced breastfeeding, increased passive smoking exposure, and infant bronchiolitis.
- Further research is needed to confirm these associations and elucidate the role of IgE in bronchiolitis pathogenesis.
- Environmental and familial factors may play a role in infant susceptibility to bronchiolitis.
Abstract:
We have respectively studied 39 patients (22 males and 17 females) in an age below 18 months affected with bronchiolitis and hospitalized in the "Istituto di Pediatria B (Institute of Pediatrics B) of Palermo's University from november 1986 to april 1987. The parameters we have considered are: 1) the family predisposition to atopy; 2) the type of suckling; 3) the social and economical conditions pointed out the overcrowding index; 4) the every day consumption of cigarettes by the cohabitant relatives; 5) the total dosage of IgE. The data of the hospitalized patients have been compared with the ones pointed out in an "examination group" formed by 64 subjects (36 males and 28 females). The frequency of family predisposition to atopy in our patients has turned out to be inferior to the group examined. The overcrowding index allowed a superposition in the two groups. Among our patients we have found a smaller amount of breast-fed babies and a greater number of smoking cohabitant in comparison with the controls even if the differences statistically were not significant. The serial IgE levels, carried out in 29 patients, resulted high in 6 children (20.69%).