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Lower respiratory tract symptoms in Queensland schoolchildren: risk factors for wheeze, cough and diminished

D L Duffy1, C A Mitchell

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Australia.

Thorax
|October 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

Parental history of asthma and wheeze is linked to childhood respiratory symptoms like wheezing and cough. These familial patterns suggest potential genetic influences on respiratory health in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric respiratory health
  • Environmental and genetic influences on lung function

Background:

  • Respiratory symptoms and abnormal lung function in children are influenced by genetic and environmental factors.
  • Previous research has examined the association between specific respiratory symptoms in school-aged children and their parents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the familial aggregation of respiratory symptoms in children.
  • To explore the relationship between parental respiratory history and respiratory symptoms in offspring.
  • To examine the influence of parental factors, including smoking, on childhood respiratory health.

Main Methods:

  • Recorded respiratory symptoms and ventilatory function in 4549 schoolchildren in Queensland, Australia.
  • Collected data on parental history of respiratory conditions (asthma, wheeze, hayfever, bronchitis) and smoking.
  • Analyzed associations between parental history and child's respiratory symptoms and lung function (FEF25-75).

Main Results:

  • Cumulative prevalence of wheezing was 23.1% in 8-year-olds and 20.8% in 12-year-olds.
  • Parental history of asthma, wheeze, or hayfever was associated with wheeze in children.
  • Parental history of frequent bronchitis was linked to frequent cough in children without wheeze.
  • Parental wheeze and maternal smoking were associated with decreased child FEF25-75, with additive effects.
  • Familial aggregation of symptoms was not mediated by shared cigarette smoke exposure.

Conclusions:

  • Specific symptom associations (wheeze, cough without wheeze) between parents and offspring suggest distinct familial transmission mechanisms.
  • Findings support the potential role of genetic factors in the inheritance of respiratory symptoms.
  • Environmental factors like maternal smoking also contribute to adverse respiratory outcomes in children.
Abstract

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