RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Early rattles, purrs and whistles as predictors of later wheeze
JF Archives of Disease in Childhood
JO Arch Dis Child
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP 701
OP 704
DO 10.1136/adc.2007.134569
VO 93
IS 8
A1 S W Turner
A1 L C A Craig
A1 P J Harbour
A1 S H Forbes
A1 G McNeill
A1 A Seaton
A1 G Devereux
A1 G Russell
A1 P J Helms
YR 2008
UL http://adc.bmj.com/content/93/8/701.abstract
AB Background: Asthma is a common condition characterised by wheeze. Many different respiratory sounds are interpreted by parents as “wheeze” in young children.Aim: To relate different respiratory sounds reported as wheeze in 2-year-olds to asthma outcomes at age 5 years.Methods: As part of a longitudinal cohort study, parents completed respiratory questionnaires for their children at 2 and 5 years of age. Parents who reported wheeze were given options to describe the sound as rattling, purring or whistling.Results: Of the 1371 2-year-olds surveyed, 210 had current wheeze, of whom 124 had rattle, 49 purr and 24 whistle. Children with whistle at 2 years were more likely to have mothers with asthma, and children with rattle and purr were more likely to be exposed to tobacco smoke. Wheeze status was ascertained at age 5 years in 162 (77%) children with wheeze at 2 years of age. Whistle persisted in 47% of affected children, rattle in 20%, and purr in 13% (p = 0.023). At 5 years of age, asthma medication was prescribed in 40% with whistle, 11% with rattle, and 18% with purr at 2 years of age (p = 0.017).Conclusions: This study shows different risk factors and outcomes for different respiratory sounds in 2-year-olds: compared with other respiratory sounds, whistle is likely to persist and require asthma treatment in future.