Long-term outcomes of early childhood wheezing

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize the currently available data on the long-term outcome until young adulthood after early childhood wheezing. Asthma and lung function abnormalities were evaluated, with special attention to early-life risk factors. RECENT FINDINGS: In postbronchiolitis studies, 30-40% of the patients hospitalized for wheezing at less than 24 months of age have had asthma at 17-20 years of age. In the Tucson birth cohort study, the respective figure after wheezing at less than 36 months of age was 30% at 22 years of age. Relapses after many nonsymptomatic years have been common. In postbronchiolitis studies, lung function has been reduced in 31-36%, concerning also postbronchodilator measurements. Thus, the changes in airways seem to be structural, being present from infancy until adulthood, as found in the Tucson study. Parental asthma, repeated early-life wheezing and early passive smoking have been the most important early-life predictors of both adulthood asthma and lung function abnormalities. SUMMARY: Early childhood wheezing increases the risk for asthma and lung function abnormalities in young adulthood. Not only chronic childhood asthma continuing until adulthood but also asthma beginning in early adulthood seems to have its origin in early childhood.