Relationship between BCG scar size and asthma in children?

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This case control study was conducted to evaluate any association between the BCG scar size and occurrence of asthma among children between 6-14 years of age. METHODS: Cases consisted of 90 asthmatic children. Control group included 90 non-asthmatic children from the emergency room service of the same hospital. The BCG scar was measured as the average of the transverse and longitudinal diameters. RESULTS: The results showed that asthmatic subjects have a 3.2 times greater risk exhibiting a scar diameter of less than 5mm than non- asthmatic subjects (CI 95 percent = 1.40 - 7.63 P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that asthmatic children and adolescents exhibited a greater frequency of an BCG scar diameter of less than 5mm than non-asthmatics. Clinical significance of this observation is uncertain.