Asthma Phenotypes, Risk Factors, and Measures of Severity in a National Sample of US Children

Abstract

Asthma risk factors and measures of severity vary between children with different asthma phenotypes.

Ethnic and socio-economic differences in the prevalence of wheeze, severe wheeze, asthma, eczema and medication usage at 4 years of age: Findings from the Born in Bradford birth cohort

“…In the UK, the highest rates have been reported in children of Black ethnicity followed by those of White and South Asian ethnicitybackground [7]. PIn addition to the differences in prevalence by ethnicity there is further evidence that phenotypes of asthma, wheeze and atopy may also differ by ethnicity [8]. Atopy has also been shown to vary by ethnicity, with South Asian children shown to havinge higher rates than their White British peers [9], although it is being increasingly recognised that not all persons who experience asthma, wheeze and/or eczema are also atopic [10,11].…”

Prospectively assessed incidence, severity, and determinants of respiratory symptoms in the first year of life

“…Most studies investigating the incidence of respiratory symptoms during childhood were either conducted in older children, 20,21 selected high risk populations, 8,9,22 were retrospective, 23 or focused on wheeze only. 7,11,12 Only few studies assessed prospectively incidence of both cough and wheeze in unselected infants (Table 4).…”

COPD as a disease of children: hype or hope for better understanding?

“…Impaired exercise capacity has been shown to be a significant determinant of disease burden, not only in patients with severe and very severe COPD but also in those with moderate disease. 15 Differences in body composition can already be seen…”

“…Some asthma phenotypes in children do look like COPD in that they seem to be related to ''irritant'' exposure and show some evidence of impaired lung function. 15 The improved treatment and survival of premature infants and their resulting chronic lung disease of prematurity is thought to be a potential risk factor for chronic pulmonary disease in adulthood. 16 While this is an extreme example, it seems entirely feasible that less severe respiratory insults, especially when combined together, might result in respiratory diseases, including COPD, in adulthood.…”