Risk factors for wheezing in infants born in Cuba

Venero-Fernandez, S.J.; Suarez-Medina, R.; Mora-Faife, E.C.; Garcia-Garcia, G.; Valle-Infante, I.; Gomez-Marrero, L.; Abreu-Suarez, G.; Gonzalez-Valdez, J.; Dania Fabro-Ortiz, D.; Fundora-Hernandez, H.; Venn, A.; Britton, J.; Fogarty, Andrew W.

Abstract

Background: Cuba is a unique country, and despite limited economic development, has an excellent health system. However, the prevalence of asthma symptoms in children in Havana, Cuba, is unusually high.

Aim: As early life exposures are critical to the aetiology of asthma, we have studied environmental influences on the risk of wheezing in Cuban infants.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: A random sample of 2032 children aged 12–15 months living in Havana was selected for inclusion in the cohort. Data were collected using questionnaires administered by researchers.

Results: Of 2032 infants invited to participate, 1956 (96%) infants provided data. The prevalence of any wheeze was 45%, severe wheeze requiring use of emergency services was 30% and recurrent wheeze on three or more occasions was 20%. The largest adjusted risk factors for any wheeze were presence of eczema [odds ratio (OR) 2.09; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.48–2.94], family history of asthma (OR 2.05; 95% CI 1.60–2.62), poor ventilation in the house (OR 1.99; 95% CI 1.48–2.67), attendance at nursery (OR 1.78; 95% CI 1.24–2.57), male sex (OR1.52; 95% CI 1.19–1.96) and the number of smokers in the house (P < 0.03 for trend), OR 1.64 (95% CI 1.17–2.31) for three or more smokers in the house compared to no smokers in the household.

Conclusion: We have identified several risk factors for any wheeze in young infants living in modern day Cuba. As the prevalence of smoking in the house is high (51%), intervention studies are required to determine effective strategies to improve infant health.

Citation

Venero-Fernandez, S., Suarez-Medina, R., Mora-Faife, E., Garcia-Garcia, G., Valle-Infante, I., Gomez-Marrero, L., …Fogarty, A. W. (2013). Risk factors for wheezing in infants born in Cuba. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 106(11), https://doi.org/10.1093/qjmed/hct143

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Nov 11, 2013
• Deposit Date: Apr 10, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 10, 2014
• Journal: QJM: An International Journal of Medicine
• Print ISSN: 1460-2725
• Electronic ISSN: 1460-2725
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 106
• Issue: 11
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/qjmed/hct143
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/719564
• Publisher URL: http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/106/11/1023.full