Mode of Delivery and Neonatal Characteristics as Risk Factors for Childhood Asthma in Qatar: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND

Asthma rates are rising globally, posing a significant public health challenge. In Qatar, childhood asthma affects 34.6% of children, making it a common chronic condition. The global scope of existing literature on the association between childhood asthma and perinatal and neonatal risk factors may not fully account for Qatar's distinctive socio-cultural, genetic, and healthcare aspects. Therefore, this research aims to emphasize the importance of considering regional variations in health outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the association between childhood asthma development and mode of delivery, gestational age, and birthweight in Qatar.

METHODS

A hospital-based case-control study was conducted in Qatar across Hamad General, Al Wakrah, and Al Khor hospitals from January 2020 to July 2023, including 830 asthma cases and 1,512 non-asthma controls aged 6-14 years. Secondary data from Electronic Medical Records were analyzed using logistic regression, with odds ratios (ORs) and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) calculated for each factor. Confounders were managed through Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAG), and multiple imputations addressed missing data.

RESULTS

Asthma prevalence was 35.4%. Compared to controls, asthma cases were more likely to be males (65% vs. 41%) and have a family history of asthma (31.3% vs. 1.7%). In addition, Cesarean delivery (aOR 1.15, 95% CI 0.92, 1.44), preterm birth (aOR 1.07, 95% CI 0.79), and low birth weight (aOR 1.03, 95% CI 0.61, 1.73) showed slight increases in asthma risk. However, none of these associations reached statistical significance.

CONCLUSION

Despite non-significant associations, findings underscore the importance of considering regional variations and context-specific research.