Wheezing, asthma, and atopy in premature infants at 2 years of age.

BACKGROUND/AIM: We aimed to evaluate wheezing, bronchial asthma (BA), and atopy in premature infants at 2 years of age via a cross-sectional study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Premature infants at <37 weeks of gestational age (GA) were assessed for atopy by skin-prick test and serum immunoglobulin E level at 2 years of age. The family's and infant's histories of allergy, BA, atopy, and wheezing were obtained by questionnaire and from hospital records.

RESULTS: There were 98 infants, with mean birth weight (BW) 1517.4 ± 486.5 g and GA 30.8 ± 2.9 weeks. The frequencies of wheezing, asthma, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) were 32.7%, 16.3%, and 14.3%, respectively. Skin-prick tests were positive for 11 subjects, with allergy to cereals for 7 infants, egg for 3, and peanut for 1. Wheezing was related to GA, BW, respiratory distress syndrome, mechanical ventilation, sepsis, asphyxia, smoking, antenatal steroid, BA, palivizumab prophylaxis, number of people in the household, and duration of hospitalization (P < 0.05). Wheezing was negatively correlated to GA. Family history of BA, smoking, and number of people in the household were linked to BA (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Wheezing was related to degree of premature birth, but BA was linked to BA in the family and smoking. Increased gestation should improve the infant's respiratory health up to 2 years of age.