Resumen de Epidemiology of wheezing in infants in the region of Pamplona
Background :wheezing in the first year oflife affect both infant and parental quality of life. Risk factors as rnale gender, nursery attendance, presence of darnp or rnould stains at home, or farnily history of asthma and allergies, and protective factors such as breastfeedin g more than six rnonths have been previously described. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk and protective factors for wheeze ever, recurrent wheeze and severe wheeze in infants in the region of Pamplona, Spain .
Material and methods: this cross-sectional study was part of the Intemational Study of Wheezing in Infants (in Spanish, Estudio Internacional de Sibilancias en Lactantes, or EISL). Between 2006 and 2008, participating farnilies answered a standardi sed validated questionnaire on demographi c and anthropometric factors, respiratory and allergy symptoms, family background, environmental factors, and exposures during pregnancy and birth. Bivariate analyses (using chi-squared test or Student's t-test, as appropriate) were conducted, calculating odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Also, multivariate rnodels were used to adjust for confounding variables. A p value lower than 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant.
Results: 1,065 questionnaires were answered. Prevalence of wheeze ever was 32.5%.Prevalences ofrecurrent and severe wheeze were 10.6% and 9.6%, respectively. Male gender, pneumonia in the first year oflife, infant eczema, higher nurnber of colds, prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke, nursery attendance and presence of pets in the household were sorne of the risk factors identified. Conversely, a longer exclusive breastfeeding was found as protective factor.
Conclusions: wheezing in infants is an important public health issue, that can lead to asthma in childhood. Prevalences found in this study were comparable to others found in European centres, but lower than those found in Latin American countries. Severa] preventable risk factors have been identified.
