John A Burgess1, Michael J Abramson2, Lyle C Gurrin3, Graham B Byrnes4, Melanie C Matheson3, Cathryn L May5, Graham G Giles6, David P Johns7, John L Hopper3, E Haydn Walters7, Shyamali C Dharmage3. 1. Centre for Molecular, Environmental, Genetic, and Analytic Epidemiology, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: jburgess@unimelb.edu.au. 2. Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. 3. Centre for Molecular, Environmental, Genetic, and Analytic Epidemiology, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia. 4. Biostatistics Group, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France. 5. Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia. 6. Centre for Molecular, Environmental, Genetic, and Analytic Epidemiology, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia; Cancer Epidemiology Centre, The Cancer Council Victoria, Carlton, VIC, Australia. 7. Respiratory Research Group, Menzies Research Institute, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined common childhood infections and adult asthma. We examined associations between childhood infectious diseases, childhood pneumonia, and current, persisting, and incident asthma to middle age. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study (TAHS). A history of pneumonia was ascertained from their parents when the TAHS participants were 7 years old. Measles, rubella, mumps, chickenpox, diphtheria, and pertussis were identified from school medical records. Associations with current, persisting, or incident asthma were examined using regression techniques. RESULTS: Greater infectious diseases load was negatively associated with persisting asthma at all ages. Individually, pertussis (adjusted OR [aOR], 0.53; 95% CI, 0.28-1.00) was negatively associated with asthma persisting to age 13 years, chickenpox (aOR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.38-0.88) was negatively associated with asthma persisting to age 32 years, and rubella was negatively associated with asthma persisting to ages 32 (aOR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.31-0.96) and 44 years (aOR 0.53; 95% CI, 0.35-0.82). Pertussis was associated with preadolescent incident asthma (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.80; 95% CI, 1.10-2.96), whereas measles was associated with adolescent incident asthma (aHR, 1.66; 1.06-2.56). Childhood pneumonia was associated with current asthma at ages 7 (aOR, 3.12; 95% CI, 2.61-3.75) and 13 years (aOR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.00-1.75), an association stronger in those without than those with eczema (aOR, 3.46; 95% CI, 2.83-4.24 vs aOR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.38-3.12). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, childhood infectious diseases protected against asthma persisting in later life, but pertussis and measles were associated with new-onset asthma after childhood. Measles and pertussis immunization might lead to a reduction in incident asthma in later life.
BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined common childhood infections and adult asthma. We examined associations between childhood infectious diseases, childhood pneumonia, and current, persisting, and incident asthma to middle age. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study (TAHS). A history of pneumonia was ascertained from their parents when the TAHS participants were 7 years old. Measles, rubella, mumps, chickenpox, diphtheria, and pertussis were identified from school medical records. Associations with current, persisting, or incident asthma were examined using regression techniques. RESULTS: Greater infectious diseases load was negatively associated with persisting asthma at all ages. Individually, pertussis (adjusted OR [aOR], 0.53; 95% CI, 0.28-1.00) was negatively associated with asthma persisting to age 13 years, chickenpox (aOR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.38-0.88) was negatively associated with asthma persisting to age 32 years, and rubella was negatively associated with asthma persisting to ages 32 (aOR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.31-0.96) and 44 years (aOR 0.53; 95% CI, 0.35-0.82). Pertussis was associated with preadolescent incident asthma (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.80; 95% CI, 1.10-2.96), whereas measles was associated with adolescent incident asthma (aHR, 1.66; 1.06-2.56). Childhood pneumonia was associated with current asthma at ages 7 (aOR, 3.12; 95% CI, 2.61-3.75) and 13 years (aOR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.00-1.75), an association stronger in those without than those with eczema (aOR, 3.46; 95% CI, 2.83-4.24 vs aOR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.38-3.12). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, childhood infectious diseases protected against asthma persisting in later life, but pertussis and measles were associated with new-onset asthma after childhood. Measles and pertussis immunization might lead to a reduction in incident asthma in later life.
Authors: Laura Russo Zillmer; Mariana Rodrigues Gazzotti; Oliver Augusto Nascimento; Federico Montealegre; James Fish; José Roberto Jardim Journal: J Bras Pneumol Date: 2014 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 2.624