Objective: To determine risk factors for asthma, allergy and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in children aged 6-8 years old from Huesca (Spain).
Patients and methods: Cross-sectional study of asthma, rhinitis and atopic dermatitis, using the prick test and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (free-running test, forced expiratory volume in 1 sec) in a random sample (n = 309) of children aged 6-8 years oldfrom an urban area (n = 1,051). To evaluate differences in the study variables between asthmatics and non-asthmatics, allergic and non-allergic children and BHR-positive and BHR-negative children, a bivariate analysis was performed using the Chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test. Multiple regression analysis was used to study the association between asthma, allergy and BHR and the study variables. Beta-coefficients and their corresponding standard deviations were calculated according to the maximum verisimilitude method using the SPSS program.
Results: The theoretical sample included 305 children and informed consent was requested from 357 parents or guardians. The participation rate was 86.55 % (n = 309). The results of the multivariate analysis were as follows: (1) risk factors for asthma were a history of asthma in the immediate family (OR: 5.17; 95 % CI: 21.82-1.23), cutaneous sensitization to aeroallergens (OR: 8.49; 95 % CI: 30.52-2.37) and recurrent bronchitis during the first 2 years of life (OR: 4.68; 95 % CI: 17.76-1.24); (2) risk factors for allergy were symptoms of atopic dermatitis (OR: 10.87; 95 % CI: 38.63-3.06), a history of asthma in the immediate family (OR: 6.11; 95 % CI: 27.68-1.38) and male sex (OR: 4.53; 95 % CI: 19.55-1.05); (3) risk factors for BHR were recurrent bronchitis during the first 2 years of life (OR: 4.56; 95 % CI: 20.24-1.02), symptoms of atopic dermatitis (OR: 4.15; 95 % CI: 16.28-1.06) and cutaneous sensitization to aeroallergens (OR: 3.43; 95 % CI: 10.91-1.08).
Conclusions: The risk factors for asthma, allergy and BHR have been determined in children aged 6-8 years old from Huesca.