Pneumonia in the first 2 years of life, and asthma in preschool-age children.

BACKGROUND

The relationship between viral bronchiolitis in early infancy and subsequent wheezing and asthma has been well established. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to test the hypothesis that pneumonia severe enough to require hospitalization during the first 2 years of life could also be associated with asthma or asthma-like symptoms in pre-school children.

METHODS

Structured interviews were conducted with parents of children who were classified as exposed (n= 36) or non-exposed (n= 84), based on whether they were hospitalized with radiologically confirmed pneumonia during the first 2 years of life. The main outcomes were ever physician-diagnosed asthma, asthma-like symptoms and use of anti-asthmatic medications during the last 2 months and during the last 12 months.

RESULTS

The prevalence of ever physician-diagnosed asthma was higher in the exposed group compared with the non-exposed group (41.6% vs 22.6%, P= 0.01), with an adjusted prevalence ratio of 2.03 (95% confidence interval: 1.10-3.62). The exposed group had a trend toward a higher prevalence of asthma-like symptoms and use of anti-asthmatic medications during the last 2 months and during the last 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Radiologically confirmed pneumonia in the first 2 years of life may be associated with asthma or asthma-like symptoms in pre-school children.