Infant lung function predicts asthma persistence and remission in young adults

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Respiratory Medicine
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• Asthma in adults is linked to reduced lung function from childhood.
• This association has not been previously assessed in infancy.
• Reduced infant lung function (ILF) is a marker of lung growth and is associated with adolescent asthma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if reduced infant lung function predicts persistent asthma in young adults.
• To investigate if ILF can predict the remission of asthma symptoms in young adults.

Main Methods:

• A birth cohort of 253 infants was followed from antenatal enrollment.
• Infant lung function was assessed at 1, 6, and 12 months using maximum expiratory flow at functional residual capacity (V'maxFRC).
• Lung function was reassessed using spirometry at ages 6, 11, 18, and 24 years.

Main Results:

• Infants in the lowest quartile of V'maxFRC at 1 month had a 5.1-fold increased odds of asthma at 24 years.
• Asthmatic adults at 24 years had significantly lower V'maxFRC at 1 month (69% predicted) compared to non-asthmatic individuals (110% predicted).
• Persistently low lung function from infancy was observed in adults with current asthma, with a mean reduction of 16.2%.

Conclusions:

• Reduced lung function in early infancy is a significant predictor of persistent asthma in young adulthood.
• This finding suggests abnormal lung development in utero or early in life contributes to persistent asthma.
• ILF is a valuable indicator for predicting long-term asthma outcomes.