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Associated Factors for Asthma Severity in Korean Children: A Korean Childhood Asthma Study
Eun Lee1, Dae Jin Song2, Woo Kyung Kim3
1Department of Pediatrics, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
Insights
Environmental factors like tobacco smoke, dog dander, and air pollution influence childhood asthma severity. Modifying these can help control asthma and reduce its burden.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Environmental Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Childhood asthma presents significant social and economic challenges, particularly severe cases.
- Understanding factors contributing to asthma severity is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of different childhood asthma severity levels.
- To identify factors associated with increased asthma severity in children.
Main Methods:
- A nationwide study involving 667 children (aged 5-15) with asthma across 19 Korean hospitals.
- Asthma severity was categorized using National Asthma Education and Prevention Program guidelines.
- Multinomial logistic regression analyzed factors linked to greater asthma severity.
Main Results:
- Mild persistent asthma was most common (39.0%), followed by mild intermittent (37.6%).
- Late onset (after 6 years), environmental tobacco smoke, and dog dander sensitization increased severity.
- Lower maternal education and lack of air purifier use in polluted areas were linked to moderate/severe asthma.
Conclusions:
- Environmental modifications targeting tobacco smoke, pet dander, and air pollution can improve childhood asthma control.
- Addressing socioeconomic factors like maternal education may also mitigate asthma severity.
- Reducing childhood asthma burden requires a multi-faceted approach including environmental and social interventions.
Purpose:
Childhood asthma has a considerable social impact and economic burden, especially in severe asthma. This study aimed to identify the proportion of childhood asthma severity and to evaluate associated factors for greater asthma severity.
Methods:
This study was performed on 667 children aged 5-15 years with asthma from the nationwide 19 hospitals in the Korean childhood Asthma Study (KAS). Asthma was classified as mild intermittent, mild persistent, and moderate/severe persistent groups according to the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program recommendations. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to identify the associated factors for greater asthma severity.
Results:
Mild persistent asthma was most prevalent (39.0%), followed by mild intermittent (37.6%), moderate persistent (22.8%), and severe persistent asthma (0.6%). Onset later than 6 years of age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.69 for mild persistent asthma; aOR, 1.92 for moderate/severe persistent asthma) tended to increase asthma severity. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (aOR, 1.53 for mild persistent asthma; aOR, 1.85 for moderate/severe persistent asthma), and current dog ownership with sensitization to dog dander (aOR, 5.86 for mild persistent asthma; aOR, 6.90 for moderate/severe persistent asthma) showed increasing trends with greater asthma severity. Lower maternal education levels (aOR, 2.32) and no usage of an air purifier in exposure to high levels of outdoor air pollution (aOR, 1.76) were associated with moderate/severe persistent asthma.
Conclusions:
Modification of identified environmental factors associated with greater asthma severity might help better control childhood asthma, thereby reducing the disease burden due to childhood asthma.
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