Wheezing presenting in general practice

Insights

Wheezing in children is common, with boys more affected early on. Prevalence shifts with age, showing higher incidence in girls and remission in boys during adolescence.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Wheezing is a common respiratory symptom in childhood.
  • Understanding its natural history, diagnosis, and treatment is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence, prevalence, natural history, diagnosis, and treatment of wheezing in children up to 21 years of age.
  • To analyze age- and sex-specific patterns of wheezing episodes.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of general practice records.
  • Study included 1058 children followed for the first 21 years of life.

Main Results:

  • Boys were more likely to present with wheeze and recurrent episodes before age 7.
  • Later childhood and adolescence showed higher incidence in girls and significant remission rates in boys.
  • Asthmatic children and two-thirds of those with recurrent wheeze received bronchodilator treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Wheezing exhibits distinct age- and sex-specific epidemiological patterns throughout childhood and adolescence.
  • Treatment with bronchodilators was common for diagnosed asthma and recurrent wheeze.

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