Asthma and atopic dermatitis in children born moderately and late preterm

This national register study aimed to evaluate the need of asthma medication reimbursement and hospitalization due to asthma and atopic dermatitis up to 7 years of age in moderately preterm (MP) (32-33 weeks) and late preterm (LP) (34-36 weeks) children compared to very preterm (VP) (<32 weeks) and term (≥37 weeks) children. Altogether, 1,018,302 children born in Finland between 1991 and 2008 were assessed. The MP and LP groups received asthma medication reimbursement more frequently than term controls (8.0 and 5.7 vs. 3.8 %), but less frequently than VP children (15.4 %). Hospitalization due to asthma was more common among MP (10.6 %) and LP (7.3 %) children than term children (4.8 %) but less common than in VP children (20.1 %). Hospitalization due to atopic dermatitis was more frequent among term (5.2 %) compared to MP (4.2 %) and LP (4.7 %) children. Male sex, maternal smoking, maternal diabetes, and ventilator therapy predicted asthma medication in the MP and/or LP children.

MP and LP children seem to need medication and hospitalization for asthma more often than term controls but less frequently than VP children followed by 7 years of age. Hospitalization due to atopic dermatitis becomes more common with increasing gestational age.

• MP and LP infants have an increased risk for early respiratory morbidity and to asthma. • Less is known on the occurrence of atopic dermatitis in this patient group. What is New: • Medication and hospital care due to asthma were more frequent in school-aged MP and LP than in term infants. Male sex, maternal smoking, maternal diabetes and ventilator therapy predicted asthma. • Hospitalization due to atopic dermatitis became more common with increasing gestational age.