BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

This study examined prenatal, perinatal and early childhood predictors of wheezing phenotypes in the first decade of life.

METHODS

Information on current wheezing, was collected prospectively from five surveys conducted every 2 years over the first decade of life. Five wheezing phenotypes were defined: non-wheezers, preschool, primary-school, intermittent and persistent wheezers. Logistic regression with adjustment for survey design was used to determine the predictors of wheezing phenotypes.

RESULTS

Data on 2711 children were used in the analysis. Early respiratory infection, the child's allergy and parental asthma were significant risk factors for preschool, intermittent and persistent wheeze. The child's allergy and parental asthma had stronger associations with persistent wheeze than with preschool wheeze. Breastfeeding was a significant predictor of both preschool and intermittent wheezing. Daycare attendance was a risk factor for preschool wheeze but a protective factor for primary-school wheezing. Crowding at home was a protective factor for both preschool and primary-school wheeze. Parental smoking was a significant factor for preschool wheeze.

CONCLUSION

This study identified different predictors for each wheezing phenotype with some degree of overlap. The observed differential effects for these conditions raises the possibility that there are different aetiologies for asthma among children.