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Clinical features of a paediatric asthma population in Trinidad

Jason Matthew1, Isaac Bekele, Lexley Maureen Pinto Pereira

  • 1Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.

The Clinical Respiratory Journal
|June 2, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric asthma in Trinidadian children often begins before age three and is linked to maternal asthma. Symptoms like cough and fever strongly predict asthma exacerbations, informing prevention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Epidemiology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Paediatric asthma is a significant health concern, particularly prevalent in Caribbean populations.
  • Understanding the clinical features and management patterns is crucial for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the clinical features and management of paediatric asthma in Trinidadian children.
  • To identify risk factors and predictors of asthma exacerbations in children.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 239 children aged 2-16 years, categorized into acute (recent A&E visits) and stable (controlled asthma) groups.
  • Data collected on demographics, asthma history, parental asthma, and preceding week's symptoms (cough, fever, sore throat).
  • Analysis included logistic regression to identify factors associated with exacerbations and medication use patterns.

Main Results:

  • Asthma was more prevalent in boys (71.5%) and strongly associated with parental asthma history (P < 0.001).
  • The average age of first wheeze was 2.5 years, with 30.1% receiving nebulization before age one.
  • Cough, fever, and sore throat in the preceding week significantly increased the likelihood of wheeze exacerbations (ORs ranging from 3.4 to 15.2).
  • Acute asthmatics were less likely to use inhaled corticosteroids with salbutamol and more likely to use salbutamol alone compared to stable asthmatics (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Childhood wheeze onset typically occurs before age three and is associated with maternal asthma.
  • Preceding week's symptoms of cough, fever, and sore throat are strong indicators of asthma exacerbations.
  • Identifying these associations can improve preventive strategies for childhood asthma.
Abstract

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