Abstract
It has been known for many years that multiple early life factors can
adversely affect lung function and future respiratory health. This is
the first systematic review to attempt to analyse all these factors
simultaneously. We adhered to strict a priori criteria for
inclusion and exclusion of studies. The initial search yielded 29,351
citations of which 208 articles were reviewed in full and 25 were
included in the review. This included 6 birth cohorts and 19
longitudinal population studies. The 25 studies reported the effect of
74 childhood factors (on their own or in combinations with other
factors) on subsequent lung function reported as percent predicted
forced expiration in one second (FEV1). The childhood factors that were associated with a significant reduction in future FEV1
could be grouped as: early infection, bronchial hyper-reactivity (BHR) /
airway lability, a diagnosis of asthma, wheeze, family history of atopy
or asthma, respiratory symptoms and prematurity / low birth weight. A
complete mathematical model will only be possible if the raw data from
all previous studies is made available. This highlights the need for
increased cooperation between researchers and the need for international
consensus about the outcome measures for future longitudinal studies.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Paediatric Respiratory Reviews |
Early online date | 14 Mar 2016 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 14 Mar 2016 |
Keywords
- Paediatrics; Lung function; Asthma; COPD; Infection; Bronchiolitis; Prematurity; Bronchial hyper-reactivity