ESCALA DE RIESGO PARA EL DESARROLLO ULTERIOR DE EPISODIOS DE SIBILANCIAS Y DE ASMA BRONQUIAL EN NIÑOS

Abstract

The survey was carried out In two stages. In the first, 84 children divided lnto two equal groups regarding age and sex were surveyed; 42 with bronchial asthma and 42 as a control group. An estimate of the frequency of respiratory processes and individual ato pies during their first three years oflife and the antecedents concerning asthma and ato pies of the parents was made. The asthmalic group presented a statistically greater frequency of rhinopharyngitis and bronchltis, as well as asthma and atopies in the parents. Using these variables, two risk scales were prepared for the subseq uent development of asthma, in accordance with what occurred d uring the fist year or the first three years as a whole. Both scales proved mathematically valid when applied to the groups under survey. In the second stage, 122 children were surveyed who had never presented episodes of wheeziness. They were divided into hlgh~ medium-and low-risk groups for each scale and follow-up was continued between 19 and 25 months in order to estima te the episodes of wheeziness which migbt occur in tbat period according to the risk. The greatest frequency was directly related to the highest risk. Among the high-risk ~es, 36.4 % on the first-year scale and 44.4 % on the threeyear scale sufTered from wheeziness, compared with 5% and 10% of the low-risk cases, respectively. Tbe scales are valuable in prognosticating the development ofwheeziness and asthma, and their use together with prophylactic measures are recommended for high-risk children.