Distribution of sensitizations in childhood asthma according to age. Correlation with clinical and pulmonary function data

The authors conducted a retrospective study based on the files of asthmatic children admitted to the paediatric respiratory medicine and allergology day hospital. Family history, age of onset of first signs of asthma, and various clinical parameters (rhinitis, eczema, recurrent respiratory tract infections, allergic manifestations) were analysed. The allergological assessment included total serum IgE assay, skin prick tests and specific serum IgE assay. Pulmonary function tests and analysis of the treatment used helped to evaluate the severity of the asthma. The study population consisted of 361 asthmatic children, between the ages of 5 months and 18 years, classified into 4 age-groups: group (1) 105 children between the ages of 0 to 3 years (29.1 %); group (2) 123 children between the ages of 4 and 6 years (34.1 %); group (3) 70 children between the ages of 7 and 10 years (19.4 %) and group (4) 63 children over the age of 10 years (17.5 %). The age of onset of the first signs of asthma was less than 3 years in three out of four cases. A history of gastro-oesophageal reflux and iron deficiency before the age of 3 years was reported (p < 0.001). sensitizations were increasingly frequent with age: 18 per cent for group (1), 37.2 per cent for group (2), 71.4 per cent for group (3) and 84.1 per cent for group (4) (p < 0.001). The combined use of skin skin tests and specific serum IgE assay did not improve the detection of sensitization. House dust mites represented the main respiratory allergen associated with asthma in children. Foods were rarely responsible. Children under the age of 3 years suffered more frequently from obstruction between attacks and appeared to be rapidly treated by inhaled corticosteroids. older children were more often polysensitized and polymedicated.