Assessment of risk factors for asthma in school-age children

Dr. Ali Fuat SERPEN, Evaluation of Asthma Risk Factors in School Children, Abant Izzet Baysal University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Thesis of Graduation, Bolu, May 2015 Introduction: Asthma is one of the most frequent chronic disease with increasing frequency and it's an important public health problem. Therefore, studies are currently ongoing for detection of risk factors and triggers for asthma. In this study, we aimed to evaluate risk factors that play role in development of asthma in school children. Methods: We conducted a multi-center trial and three centers pediatric allergy and immunology clinics are participated in the study including Abant Izzet Baysal University Faculty of Medicine, Inönü University Faculty of Medicine and Zeynep Kamil Children's Hospital. All participants were over 7 years of age and asthmatic children who have been fallowed up at least one year and age matched healthy controls were included in the study randomly. All participants prenatal smoke and paracetamol exposure, delivery, birth weight, postnatal allergen and environmental irritant exposure, living conditions and family history allergic diseases were gotten from the medical records and parents by the help of a Questionnaire. Two groups were also evaluated with skin prick test for the presence of allergic sensitization for common allergens. Results: A total of 371 children with asthma and 300 healthy control were included in the study. The mean ages of asthmatic children and control group were 9.8±3.1 and 9.9±2.5 respectively (p=0.0533). Male ratio was significantly higher in asthma group (p=0.040). Among the possible prenatal risk factors maternal paracetamol usage was higher among asthma group (p=0.021). Besides D&C delivery rate (p=0.003), tobacco exposure in the first year of life (p<0.001), living in urban area in first years of life (p<0.001), presence of eczema (p=0.001),, allergic sensitization (p<0.001), and familial allergic disease were higher (p<0.001), in asthma group. Whereas family member number and Vitamin D usage period was higher in control group (p<0.001). Conclusion: In conclusion, prevention of inappropriate usage of prenatal paracetamol, avoiding unnecessary D&C, prevention of passive smoking and prophylactic vitamin D in first year of life seems to preventable risk factors for childhood asthma. Key words: Asthma, asthma risk factor, vitamin D, epidemiology, hygiene hypothesis, paracetamol, passive smoking