Risk factors for early wheezing in preterm infants: a retrospective cohort study

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Neonatology
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Recurrent wheezing in children is complex, with premature birth being a potential contributing factor.
• Early wheezing in preterm infants is not well understood, necessitating further investigation into associated risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the incidence and risk factors of early wheezing in preterm infants.
• To compare wheezing incidence across different gestational age groups.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study involving 1,616 children born between 2007 and 2013 from eight hospitals in Guangxi, China.
• Children were categorized into three groups based on gestational age: GA ≤ 32 weeks (Group A), 32 < GA < 37 weeks (Group B), and 37 ≤ GA < 42 weeks (Group C).
• Follow-up was conducted via telephone or questionnaire through the sixth year of life to assess early wheezing.

Main Results:

• Incidence of early wheezing was highest in Group A (GA ≤ 32 weeks), followed by Group B (32-37 weeks), and lowest in Group C (full-term).
• In Group A, a higher proportion of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants experienced early wheezing (P < 0.05).
• In Group B, male sex (95% CI: 1.611-4.601) and a family history of allergy (95% CI: 1.222-3.411) were identified as significant risk factors for early wheezing.

Conclusions:

• Lower gestational age is significantly associated with an increased risk of wheezing in infants.
• Preterm infants exhibit a higher incidence of persistent wheezing compared to full-term infants.
• Specific risk factors for early wheezing differ based on gestational age, with SGA being relevant for extremely preterm infants (<32 weeks) and male sex/family allergy history for moderately preterm infants (32-37 weeks).