Prevalence and risk factors for childhood wheezing in Ragama Medical Officer of Health area: an ongoing, community based study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:Atopic disease is an important public health problem and local data is essential for formulating treatment guidelines and policy planning . Objectives were to determine the prevalence and severity of wheezing among children less than 13 years of age, and to identify risk factors and triggers for wheezing. METHODS: The study commenced in September 2012 and is ongoing. The target study population was 3000 subjects. Data were collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire. RESULTS: There were 2411 participants, of them 388 (16.1%) were categorised as 'ever had wheezing', 226 (9.4%) had at least one wheezing episode within the past 12 months and 28 (1.2%) were currently having wheezing. Of those who 'ever had wheezing', 103 (27.4%) had activity induced wheeze or cough, 199 (52.8%) had nocturnal cough, 208 (55.2%) had wheezing on exposure to airborne allergens. In 94.7% symptoms improved with treatment, 60 (16%) deteriorated when treatment was stopped. Seasonal variation in wheezing, was seen in 215 (57.2%), 243 (72.5%) had wheezing with upper respiratory tract infection. Prematurity was a risk factor for 'ever had wheezing' (OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.2 -2.9). Paternal smoking during pregnancy (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.8-1.2) or thereafter, was not a risk factor for wheezing. Wheezing was significantly associated with coexisting atopy, family history of atopy, and antibiotic usage during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of wheezing in our study is comparable to that in Asia of 16%. The risk factors and triggers of wheezing are similar to that in other studies. However we found no link between antenatal or postnatal exposure to cigarette smoke and childhood wheezing.