Effects of asthma on pulmonary function in children. A longitudinal population-based study.
Data from a longitudinal study of childhood factors influencing the development of chronic obstructive lung disease were used to assess the effects of asthma on lung function development in male and female children. A population-based cohort of 602 white children, initially aged 5 to 9 yr, was observed prospectively for 13 yr. Spirometry was performed and a standardized respiratory and illness questionnaire was administered by trained interviewers on a yearly basis. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of vital capacity (FEF25-75) were used as measures of lung function. The total number of children reporting asthma over the course of the study was 67. Male asthmatic subjects (n = 42) had larger average percentage of predicted FVC than nonasthmatic males (n = 277). Female asthmatic subjects (n = 23) had a lower average percentage of predicted FEV1 than nonasthmatic females (n = 260). In a multivariate analysis of the individual lung function measures, adjusting for previous level of pulmonary function, age, height, change in height, and personal and maternal smoking, males reporting active asthma had a significantly larger FVC than males with no history of asthma. In contrast, females with active asthma had a significantly smaller FEV1 than females with no history of asthma. Both males and females with active asthma had decreased FEF25-75. From our analysis, we would predict that a female who develops asthma at age 7 would experience a 5% reduction in FEV1 by age 10 and a 7% deficit by age 15.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Weiss
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Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Tosteson
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Segal
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Tager
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Redline
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Speizer
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D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008450:Maximal Midexpiratory Flow Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics; D012737:Sex Factors; D014797:Vital Capacity