title: Asthma and lung function in a birth cohort at 6-7 years of age in southern Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Asthma and respiratory symptoms are common in children, and many studies have shown associations between childhood symptoms and impaired lung function in adult life. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of various respiratory symptoms with wheezing patterns (persistent, early, and late-onset) and lung function, as well as to determine whether lung function was associated with atopy or with demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and gestational factors, in a birth cohort at 6-7 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  The target population consisted of children aged 6-7 years from a birth cohort of 5,304 children born in southern Brazil in 1993. For this follow-up evaluation, 532 of those children were randomly selected, and a sub-sample was submitted to spirometry and skin prick tests. A questionnaire was administered to the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of each child.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Spirometric values were lower in the children with respiratory symptoms or asthma. Mean forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity ratio (FEV1/FVC ratio) was lower in children with any of the following: current wheezing and asthma; asthma ever; four or more episodes of wheezing within the preceding 12 months; sleep disturbance due to wheezing; and exercise-induced wheezing. Persistent wheezing was associated with lower FEV1/FVC ratio. After multiple linear regression, exercise-induced wheezing was also associated with reduced FEV1/FVC ratio. Nonwhite skin color and wheezing severe enough to limit speech were associated with lower FEV1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with persistent wheezing and symptoms of severe asthma have impaired lung function at 6-7 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil. moemachatkin@gmail.com
authors.forename: Moema Nudilemon
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Chatkin
authors.forename: Ana Maria Baptista
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: Silvia Elaine Cardozo
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Macedo
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fiss
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013147:Spirometry; D014797:Vital Capacity