Is there an association between wheezing and pneumonia?

The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a relationship in school aged children between wheezing and pneumonia prior, during, or following the pneumonia episode.

One hundred and three children with community acquired pneumonia who were hospitalised were recruited along with 55 controls.

During hospitalisation wheezing was audible in 11/103 (10.6%) patients with pneumonia and in none of the controls (p=0.009). Wheezing ever or asthma was elicited in 29/103(28%) patients with pneumonia and in 8/55 (14.5%) of the controls and this difference was not significant. Two years after the hospitalisation with pneumonia, wheezing episodes occurred in 12/103 with pneumonia and 1/55 of the controls (p=0.034). Among those who developed asthma following pneumonia 11/12 also had wheezing prior to pneumonia.

There is an excess of wheezing prior, during, and after an episode of pneumonia in school aged children and therefore children with pneumonia should be followed up carefully.