Prevalence, Severity, and Treatment of Recurrent Wheezing During the First Year of Life: A Cross-Sectional Study of 12,405 Latin American Infants

PURPOSE

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of recurrent wheezing (RW) defined as ≥3 episodes of wheezing, risk factors, and treatments prescribed during the first year of life in Latin American infants.

METHODS

In this international, cross-sectional, and community-based study, parents of 12,405 infants from 11 centers in 6 South American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay) completed a questionnaire about wheezing and associated risk/protective factors, asthma medications, and the frequency of and indications for the prescription of antibiotics and paracetamol during the first year of life.

RESULTS

The prevalence of RW was 16.6% (95% CI 16.0-17.3); of the 12,405 infants, 72.7% (95% CI 70.7-74.6) visited the Emergency Department for wheezing, and 29.7% (27.7-31.7) was admitted. Regarding treatment, 49.1% of RW infants received inhaled corticosteroids, 55.7% oral corticosteroids, 26.3% antileukotrienes, 22.9% antibiotics ≥4 times mainly for common colds, wheezing, and pharyngitis, and 57.5% paracetamol ≥4 times. Tobacco smoking during pregnancy, household income per month <1,000 USD, history of parental asthma, male gender, and nursery school attendance were significant risk factors for higher prevalence and severity of RW, whereas breast-feeding for at least 3 months was a significant protective factor. Pneumonia and admissions for pneumonia were significantly higher in infants with RW as compared to the whole sample (3.5-fold and 3.7-fold, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

RW affects 1.6 out of 10 infants during the first year of life, with a high prevalence of severe episodes, frequent visits to the Emergency Department, and frequent admissions for wheezing. Besides the elevated prescription of asthma medications, there is an excessive use of antibiotics and paracetamol in infants with RW and also in the whole sample, which is mainly related to common colds.

[Roll of antibodies antiplatelets in viral infection: a systematic review of literature]

INTRODUCTION

Thrombocytopenia is a frequent phenomenon in viral infections. Peripheral platelet destruction mediated by anti-platelet antibodies has been one of the proposed causal mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE

Results were collected and analyzed from published studies on associations of human viral infections on anti-platelet antibodies and total platelet counts.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A PubMed search was conducted using the following terms: Viral infection (OR Virus diseases) AND antiplatelet antibody (OR thrombocytopenia) AND HIV (OR measles OR dengue OR chickenpox OR varicella OR Epistein Barr OR mumps OR rubella). Two hundred eighteen reference hits were obtained, 65 of which were relevant to this review.

RESULTS

Antiplatelet antibody-mediated thrombocytopenia has been documented in cases of HIV, measles, dengue, chickenpox, Epstein-Barr, mumps and rubella. Moreover, the presence of these antibodies has been associated with severity the disease and thrombocytopenia in viral infections.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the presence of antiplatelet antibodies was not the only mechanism for explaining the thrombocytopenia developed in these viral infections, their presence was associated with severity of thrombocytopenia and with the clinical presentation of these patients.

[Respiratory symptoms associated with asthma prevalence and air pollution in preschool children]

INTRODUCTION

Increases in the air pollution levels has well-documented harmful effects on human health, especially exacerbating problems of asthma and other allergies.

OBJECTIVE

The prevalence of symptoms associated with asthma was determined in preschool populations in zones with differing levels of air pollution.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Bucaramanga, Colombia, comparing respiratory symptoms in 768 children under seven years in two urban zones with different pollution levels of particulate matter and ozone. Morbidity was evaluated for respiratory indicators of asthma by means of a questionnaire version previously validated in Spanish.

RESULTS

The use of cigarettes (27.5%) and aerosols (22.7%) were the most frequent source of indoor air pollution. Wheezing prevalence was 25.6% (95% CI 23.2-29.8%) and diagnosis of asthma was 8.4% (95% CI 6.2-11.5%), with no differences between zones. The final multivariate model did not show an association between outdoor pollution and symptoms related with asthma. However, concrete flooring and presence of mold did show an association with these symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Indoor air quality rather than outdoor air pollution may play a more important role in producing respiratory symptoms related with asthma in preschool children in the city of Bucaramanga, Colombia.