Early rattles, purrs and whistles as predictors of later wheeze.
BACKGROUND
Asthma is a common condition characterised by wheeze. Many different respiratory sounds are interpreted by parents as "wheeze" in young children.


OBJECTIVE
To relate different respiratory sounds reported as wheeze in 2-year-olds to asthma outcomes at age 5 years.


METHODS
As part of a longitudinal cohort study, parents completed respiratory questionnaires for their children at 2 and 5 years of age. Parents who reported wheeze were given options to describe the sound as rattling, purring or whistling.


RESULTS
Of the 1371 2-year-olds surveyed, 210 had current wheeze, of whom 124 had rattle, 49 purr and 24 whistle. Children with whistle at 2 years were more likely to have mothers with asthma, and children with rattle and purr were more likely to be exposed to tobacco smoke. Wheeze status was ascertained at age 5 years in 162 (77%) children with wheeze at 2 years of age. Whistle persisted in 47% of affected children, rattle in 20%, and purr in 13% (p = 0.023). At 5 years of age, asthma medication was prescribed in 40% with whistle, 11% with rattle, and 18% with purr at 2 years of age (p = 0.017).


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows different risk factors and outcomes for different respiratory sounds in 2-year-olds: compared with other respiratory sounds, whistle is likely to persist and require asthma treatment in future.
Turner
S W
SW
Department of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. s.w.turner@abdn.ac.uk
Craig
L C A
LC
Harbour
P J
PJ
Forbes
S H
SH
McNeill
G
G
Seaton
A
A
Devereux
G
G
Russell
G
G
Helms
P J
PJ
D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution