Neonatal characteristics as risk factors for preschool asthma.

Childhood asthma usually begins early in life. Neonatal characteristics are reportedly predictive of symptom onset. This investigation utilized data from a provincial health organization to evaluate the effect of several birth characteristics on asthma incidence and hospitalization for asthma during age 0-4. Using logistic regression, the odds ratios (OR) for the following variables indicate a significant (p < 0.05) association with physician-diagnosed preschool asthma: male gender (OR = 1.72), birthweight < 1500 g (OR = 2.11), prematurity (OR = 1.34), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in the presence (OR = 2.95) or absence (OR = 1.61) of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN; OR = 1.36). Male gender (OR = 1.91), birthweight < 1500 g (OR = 2.56), RDS with and without BPD (OR = 3.35 and 2.50, respectively), TTN (OR = 2.08), and severe birth asphyxia (OR = 1.94) showed an important association with hospitalization due to asthma. Neonatal characteristics are important determinants for the risk of preschool asthma, even after mutual adjustment.