Analysis of the risk factors for asthma in infants and young children after wheezing at six years old in Xuzhou

Objective To investigate the incidence and risk factors of bronchial asthma in infants and young children after wheezing at six years old in Xuzhou. Methods Retrospective analysis was performed using clinical data from 0-3 year-old wheezing children who were admitted to Department of Respiratory Diseases, Xuzhou Children’s Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, the 71st Army Hospital of PLA from November 2013 to January 2014. Moreover, they were followed-up by telephone, outpatient service or questionnaire survey to collect further information. Children were diagnosed with bronchial asthma after six years old were set as an asthma group, and the remaining children were regarded as a non-asthma group. Their incidence of bronchial asthma was calculated, and univariate analysis was conducted followed by multivariate logistic regression to analyze its risk factors. Results The incidence of bronchial asthma in infants and young children after wheezing at six years old in Xuzhou was 27.2%. According to univariate analysis, there were 13 factors associated with the condition, namely the number of wheezing episodes>3 times within 3 years old, activity induced wheezing without fever, wheezing after 3 years old, an allergy history of first-degree relatives, cesarean section birth, childhood eczema and/or atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, living close to the road, blood eosinophil percentage≥4%, inhaled allergen positive, food allergen positive, parents with junior high school education and below, and treatment of wheezing without medical advice, with statistical difference (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed nice dependent risk factors, namely the number of wheezing episodes>3 times within 3 years old, activity induced wheezing without fever,wheezing after 3 years old, an allergy history of first-degree relatives, childhood eczema and/or atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, blood eosinophil percentage≥4%, inhaled allergen positive, food allergen positive, and treatment of wheezing without medical advice, with statistical difference (P<0.05). Conclusions The incidence of bronchial asthma in infants and young children after wheezing at six years old in Xuzhou is 27.2%. The independent risk factors are the number of wheezing episodes>3 times within 3 years old, activity induced wheezing without fever, wheezing after 3 years old, an allergy history of first-degree relatives, childhood eczema and/or atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, blood eosinophil percentage≥4%, inhaled allergen positive, food allergen positive, and treatment of wheezing without medical advice.