Does childhood TB or pneumonia impact COPD or asthma in adulthood?

<sec><title>BACKGROUND</title>Childhood pneumonia is known to impact asthma and COPD in adulthood. We postulated that there may be a similar association with childhood TB.</sec><sec><title>METHODS</title>We collected demographic and clinical data (including smoking history, chronic symptoms, and childhood exposures) for patients with respiratory problems attending a referral pulmonary clinic and performed spirometry and chest X-rays. We recruited patients with COPD and asthma to determine whether there was any association with childhood TB and pneumonia with regards to clinical and radiological presentations.</sec><sec><title>RESULTS</title>Out of 4,345 recruited into the study, 803 had COPD and 841 had asthma. COPD patients with childhood TB and/or pneumonia exhibited significantly declined lung function (FEV 1 %, FVC%, and FEF 25-75 %,) with a higher frequency of chronic expectorations with/without purulence, recurrent lung infections, antibiotic usage, and X-ray abnormalities. Patients with only childhood TB had more severe and frequent wheezing, exacerbations, and emphysematous changes. COPD patients having childhood TB with/without pneumonia had low BMI, more exposure to damp environments, and frequent oral steroids use in childhood. Asthma patients with childhood pneumonia had recurrent lung infections and purulent expectorations.</sec><sec><title>CONCLUSION</title>Childhood TB and/or pneumonia are risk factors for COPD with worse symptoms and lower spirometry measurements, whereas its impact on asthma was less pronounced.</sec>