Wheezing in infants: frequency, clinical characteristics and treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the frequency and describe the clinical characteristics and respective treatments of previous history of wheezing.


METHODS
Infants aged 6-23 months with upper respiratory tract complaints and reporting previous wheezing were followed-up retrospectively. Data were registered on a validated standardized form.


RESULTS
Out of 451 infants, 164 (36.4%; 95%CI:31.9-41.0) had a report of prior history of wheezing, 148 (32.8%; 95%CI:28.5-37.4) during the first year of life. The mean age at the first episode of wheezing was 5.3±3.9 months. Among those who had had their first episode before 12 months of age, 38.5% reported 3 to 6 episodes and 14.2% > 6 episodes. Mean age at first episode was lower for those with ≥ 3 episodes in comparison with those with ≤ 2 episodes (3.2±2.7 vs. 5.7±2.5 months, p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
One third of the infants reported wheezing during the first year of life. The earlier the first episode occurs, the more frequently wheezing recurs.
Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA, Brazil. maiara.lanna@gmail.com
Maiara Lanna
ML
Bouzas
Dirceu
D
Solé
Maria Regina A
MR
Cardoso
Eliana E V
EE
Silva
Karen S
KS
Miranda
Laíse R
LR
Néri
Patrícia F C
PF
Silva
Ramon S
RS
Amoedo
Rômulo B
RB
Meneses
Aldina
A
Barral
Cristiana M
CM
Nascimento-Carvalho
D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012008:Recurrence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D001993:Bronchodilator Agents