title: Factors influencing asthma remission: a longitudinal study from childhood to middle age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine asthma remission from childhood to middle age.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a population-based cohort study. In 1968 the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study enrolled 8583 7-year-old Tasmanian schoolchildren who were re-surveyed in 2004. Those reporting ever having asthma when last surveyed completed another questionnaire in 2007 ascertaining age at last asthma attack and asthma medication use. The main outcome measure was asthma remission, defined as no asthma attack for 2 years and no current asthma medication use, or no self-reported asthma in adult life but with parent-reported childhood asthma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 5729 respondents to the 2004 survey, 1238 self-reported asthma. A further 573 denied asthma, but had parent-reported childhood asthma, giving a study sample of 1811. Asthma had remitted in 1177 (65.0%) of whom 649 (55.1%) were male. Childhood (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.58) and later-onset allergic rhinitis (0.42, 0.29 to 0.63), childhood (0.66, 0.47 to 0.94) and later-onset eczema (0.66, 0.47 to 0.92), maternal asthma (0.66, 0.47 to 0.92) and childhood chronic bronchitis (0.56, 0.41 to 0.76) were negatively associated with remission. There was weaker evidence for a negative association between passive smoking (0.75, 0.54 to 1.04) and lower socio-economic status (p-trend 0.09) and remission. Childhood-onset asthma (3.76, 2.58 to 5.49) was more likely to remit than adult-onset asthma. Adult smoking was positively associated with remission in childhood-onset asthma (1.49, 1.06 to 2.09). Sex did not influence remission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While inherited factors cannot be changed, the effect of allergic rhinitis or eczema on asthma remission might be altered by early, aggressive treatment. Every effort should be made to lessen passive exposure to tobacco smoke.
authors: Centre for Molecular, Environmental, Genetic and Analytic Epidemiology, The University of Melbourne, Level 2, 723 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia. jburgess@unimelb.edu.au
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: Burgess
authors: Melanie C
authors: MC
authors: Matheson
authors: Lyle C
authors: LC
authors: Gurrin
authors: Graham B
authors: GB
authors: Byrnes
authors: Kristie S
authors: KS
authors: Adams
authors: Cathryn L
authors: CL
authors: Wharton
authors: Graham G
authors: GG
authors: Giles
authors: Mark A
authors: MA
authors: Jenkins
authors: John L
authors: JL
authors: Hopper
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Abramson
authors: E Haydn
authors: EH
authors: Walters
authors: Shyamali C
authors: SC
authors: Dharmage
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D004485:Eczema / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D012923:Social Class; D013648:Tasmania / Q000453:epidemiology; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution