Risk factors associated with childhood asthma.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the risk factors associated with childhood asthma, in children attending Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Isra University Hospital between September 2005 to August 2006.


METHODS
The study included 398 age-matched children (200 asthmatic and 198 non-asthmatic). Information was collected concerning their familial history of atopy, birth weight, environment, breastfeeding, disease and treatment history. Odds ratio was calculated for determining the risk.


RESULTS
The children were aged between 12 months and 8 years and 60% were male. The asthmatic children were hospitalized more frequently than the non-asthmatic children (p < 0.0001). Most of the asthmatic children lived in the urban areas of Hyderabad [odd ratio (OR) = 16.7, 95% CI = 3.1-14.6, p < 0.0001], had a parental history of asthma (OR = 26.8, 95% CI = 10.8-68.2, p < 0.0001) or allergic rhinitis (OR = 4, 95% CI = 1.2-13.4, p= 0.01), 38.5% had at least one person who smoked, and were weaned earlier than the non-asthmatic children (OR =12.4, 95% CI = 1.3-4.4, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Childhood asthma was strongly associated with a family history of asthma and allergic rhinitis, the urban place of residence, having smokers as parents and early weaning from maternal breast milk. The results highlight the need to educate the parents about the risk of smoking and early weaning in the development of asthma.
Majeed
Rehana
R
Department of Paediatrics, Isra University, Hyderabad, Pakistan. drrehanamajeed@yahoo.com
Rajar
Uzma D M
UD
Shaikh
Naheed
N
Majeed
Farrukh
F
Arain
Aijaz A
AA
D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010154:Pakistan; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution