Recurrent wheezing, allergic rhinitis, and maternal asthma as predictors of asthma in children.

Background: Early prediction of asthma is crucial for asthma prevention. Objective: We estimated the odds ratio (OR) of recurrent wheezing during the first 3 years of life, atopic rhinitis, and maternal asthma for asthma in school-age children (ages ≥ 6 years). Methods: This case-control study was conducted in Salvador, Brazil. Medical records of children diagnosed with asthma (cases) and of children screened for pulmonary illnesses and without asthma (controls) were reviewed. Information was retrieved and registered in standardized forms. Results: We included 125 subjects (cases) and 375 controls, whose median (percentile 25th-percentile 75th) age was 8.1 years (6.6-10.0 years) and 9.2 years (7.0-11.9 years), respectively. The subjects (cases) and the controls had at least three episodes of wheezing during the first 3 years of life (69.7% and 1.4%, respectively), a maternal history of asthma (36.0% and 4.0%, respectively), and atopic rhinitis (95.9% and 35.1%, respectively). The adjusted OR of three or more episodes of wheezing during the first 3 years of life was OR 132.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 36.8-477.1), of a personal history of atopic rhinitis was OR 21.3 (95% CI, 5.3-85.0), and of maternal asthma was OR 10.2 (95% CI, 3.1-33.6) for asthma in a logistic regression (which also included age, gender, and maternal history of allergic rhinitis [OR insignificant for these factors]). Conclusion: Children with a history of three or more episodes of wheezing during the first 3 years of life were at least 37 times more likely to develop asthma than children without this history. A maternal history of asthma and a personal history of atopic rhinitis are also predictors of asthma in children.

Respiratory viruses among children with non-severe community-acquired pneumonia: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) causes a major burden to the health care system among children under-5 years worldwide. Information on respiratory viruses in non-severe CAP cases is scarce. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the frequency of respiratory viruses among non-severe CAP cases. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study conducted in Salvador, Brazil. Out of 820 children aged 2-59 months with non-severe CAP diagnosed by pediatricians (respiratory complaints and radiographic pulmonary infiltrate/consolidation), recruited in a clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01200706), nasopharyngeal aspirate samples were obtained from 774 (94.4%) patients and tested for 16 respiratory viruses by PCRs. RESULTS: Viruses were detected in 708 (91.5%; 95%CI: 89.3-93.3) cases, out of which 491 (69.4%; 95%CI: 65.9-72.7) harbored multiple viruses. Rhinovirus (46.1%; 95%CI: 42.6-49.6), adenovirus (38.4%; 95%CI: 35.0-41.8), and enterovirus (26.5%; 95%CI: 23.5-29.7) were the most commonly found viruses. The most frequent combination comprised rhinovirus plus adenovirus. No difference was found in the frequency of RSVA (16.1% vs. 14.6%; P = 0.6), RSVB (10.9% vs. 13.2%; P = 0.4) influenza (Flu) A (6.3% vs. 5.1%; P = 0.5), FluB (4.5% vs. 1.8%; P = 0.09), parainfluenza virus (PIV) 1 (5.1% vs. 2.8%; P = 0.2), or PIV4 (7.7% vs. 4.1%; P = 0.08), when children with multiple or sole virus detection were compared. Conversely, rhinovirus, adenovirus, enterovirus, bocavirus, PIV2, PIV3, metapneumovirus, coronavirus OC43, NL63, 229E were significantly more frequent among cases with multiple virus detection. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory viruses were detected in over 90% of the cases, out of which 70% had multiple viruses. Several viruses are more commonly found in multiple virus detection whereas other viruses are similarly found in sole and in multiple virus detection.

Serologically diagnosed acute human bocavirus 1 infection in childhood community-acquired pneumonia.

AIM: To assess the role of human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) as a causative agent of non-severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children. METHODS: Patients aged 2-59 months with non-severe CAP (respiratory complaints and radiographic pulmonary infiltrate/consolidation) attending a University Hospital in Salvador, Brazil were enrolled in a prospective cohort. From 820 recruited children in a clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01200706), nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA), and acute and convalescent serum samples were obtained from 759 (92.6%) patients. NPAs were tested for 16 respiratory viruses by PCR. Acute HBoV1 infection was confirmed by measuring specific IgM and IgG responses in paired serum samples. RESULTS: Respiratory viruses were detected in 693 (91.3%; 95%CI: 89.1-93.2) CAP cases by PCR. HBoV1-DNA was detected in 159 (20.9%; 95%CI: 18.2-24.0) cases. Of these 159 PCR positive cases, acute HBoV1 infection was confirmed serologically in 38 cases (23.9%; 95%CI: 17.8-31.0). Overall, acute HBoV1 infection was confirmed in 5.0% (38/759) of non-severe CAP patients. HBoV1 was detected in 151 cases with at least one other virus making 31.7% of all multiple virus (n = 477) detections. Among all 759 cases, 216 had one respiratory virus detected, and sole HBoV1 was detected in only 8 (3.7%). Acute HBoV1 infection was serologically diagnosed in 34 (22.5%) HBoV1-DNA-positive cases with another virus, compared to 4 (50.0%) cases with sole virus detection (p = 0.09). CONCLUSION: HBoV1 was detected by PCR in one fifth of the children with non-severe CAP and acute HBoV1 infection was serologically confirmed in one quarter of these cases.

Evolution of acute infection with atypical bacteria in a prospective cohort of children with community-acquired pneumonia receiving amoxicillin.

Background: Atypical bacteria are treatable causative agents of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). However, there is no conclusive evidence that a child with CAP should receive empirical treatment against such agents. Objectives: We assessed the possibility of association between clinical failure and acute infection by these bacteria among children with CAP treated with amoxicillin. Patients and methods: Patients aged 2-59 months with non-severe CAP received amoxicillin during prospective follow-up. Acute and convalescent blood samples were collected. Probable acute infection by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (specific IgM antibodies), by Chlamydia pneumoniae or Chlamydia trachomatis (specific IgM antibodies and/or IgG/IgA titre change) was investigated. Outcomes were assessed during follow-up at 2, 5 and 14-28 days. Treatment failure included development of danger signs, persistent fever, tachypnoea or death. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01200706. Results: Of 787 children, 86 (10.9%; 95% CI = 8.9%-13.3%) had acute M. pneumoniae infection. C. pneumoniae acute infection was found in 79 of 733 (10.8%; 95% CI = 8.7%-13.2%) and C. trachomatis was found in 3 of 28 (10.7%; 95% CI = 2.8%-26.5%) <6 months old. Among patients with or without treatment failure at 2 days, acute M. pneumoniae infection (11.7% versus 10.7%; P = 0.7), acute C. pneumoniae infection (8.5% versus 11.3%; P = 0.3) and acute C. trachomatis infection (16.7% versus 9.1%; P = 0.5) were found. No significant differences were found with regard to treatment failure at the 5 day evaluation. Overall, amoxicillin was substituted in 3.5% versus 2.7% among patients with or without acute infection by one of these bacteria ( P = 0.6). Conclusions: The overall substitution rate of amoxicillin was very low. It is not necessary to give an empirical non-ß-lactam antibiotic as a first-line option to treat every child between 2 and 59 months old with non-severe CAP.

Comparison of oral amoxicillin given thrice or twice daily to children between 2 and 59 months old with non-severe pneumonia: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Oral amoxicillin (50 mg/kg/day) thrice daily is the first-line therapy for non-severe childhood pneumonia. Compliance could be enhanced if two daily doses are employed. We assessed the equivalence of oral amoxicillin (50 mg/kg/day) thrice or twice daily in those patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This randomized (1 : 1), controlled, triple-blinded investigation conducted at one centre in Brazil included children aged 2-59 months with non-severe pneumonia diagnosed by trained paediatricians based on respiratory complaints and radiographic pulmonary infiltrate/consolidation. Participants were randomly assigned to receive one bottle (Amoxicillin 1) at 6 am, 2 pm and 10 pm and the other bottle (Amoxicillin 2) at 8 am and 8 pm: one bottle contained amoxicillin and the other placebo and vice versa. Only the pharmacist knew patients' allocation. Follow-up assessments were done at 2, 5 and 14 days after enrolment. Chest radiographs were read by three independent radiologists. Primary outcome was treatment failure (development of danger signs, persistence of fever, tachypnoea, development of serious adverse reactions, death and withdrawal from the trial) at 48 h. ClinicalTrials.gov: identifier NCT01200706. RESULTS: Four hundred and twelve and 408 participants received amoxicillin thrice or twice daily, respectively. Treatment failure was detected in 94 (22.8%) and 94 (23.0%) patients in intention-to-treat analysis (risk difference 0.2%; 95% CI: -5.5%-6.0%) and in 80 (20.1%) and 85 (21.3%) patients in per-protocol analysis (risk difference 1.2%; 95% CI: -4.4%-6.8%). Pneumonia was radiologically confirmed by concordant reading in 277 (33.8%) cases, among whom treatment failure was registered in 25/133 (18.8%) and 27/144 (18.8%) participants from the thrice and twice daily doses subgroups, respectively (risk difference -0.05%; 95% CI: -9.3%-9.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Oral amoxicillin (50 mg/kg/day) twice daily is as efficacious as thrice daily.

Clinical failure among children with nonsevere community-acquired pneumonia treated with amoxicillin.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the clinical failure and adverse events in children with nonsevere pneumonia receiving amoxicillin, identifying risk factors. RESEARCH DESIGN/METHODS: 192 patients aged 2 - 59 months were prospectively followed up. Pneumonia diagnosis was based on respiratory complaints and radiographic pulmonary infiltrate or pleural effusion. Amoxicillin (50 mg/kg/day) was given. Demographic data and clinical findings on admission, daily evolution up to the 5th day of treatment and 2 - 4 weeks after enrollment were collected. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical failure included persistence of fever, difficulty breathing or tachypnea beyond the first 48 h of treatment or of cough beyond the first 96 h of treatment or sign of severe/very severe disease up to the 5th day of treatment. RESULTS: Amoxicillin failed in 6 (3.1%) cases. By excluding one child diagnosed with cystic fibrosis after continued follow-up, the final clinical failure rate was 2.6%. The total adverse effect frequency was 14 (7.3%), but amoxicillin was discontinued only in 1 (0.5%) case. No relapse was identified at the 2 - 4-week interval evaluation. By multivariate analysis, age (OR = 1.1; 95% CI 1.01 - 1.19) was an independent risk factor for clinical failure which occurred in older children (47 +/- 9 vs 31 +/- 16 months; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical failures were few, especially among those aged < 2 years. Amoxicillin discontinuation due to adverse reaction was rare.