TABLE 1

Baseline demographic characteristics and medical history

School-agedPreschool
Severe asthma cohortMild/moderate asthma cohortp-valueSevere wheeze cohortMild/moderate wheeze cohortp-value
Patients n97437754
Demographic details
 Female46/97 (47.4%)16/43 (37.2%)0.26327/77 (35.1%)20/54 (37.0%)0.817
 Age years12.21±0.31 (n=97)11.26±0.48 (n=43)0.583ƒ3.56±0.14 (n=77)3.46±0.16 (n=54)0.410ƒ
 White74/97 (76.3%)32/43 (74.4%)0.81262/77 (80.5%)48/54 (88.9%)0.204
 Mother smoked during pregnancy14/94 (14.9%)6/43 (14.0%)0.88510/77 (13.0%)1/54 (1.9%)0.052
 Smoker0/97 (0.0%)0/43 (0.0%)NA0/77 (0.0%)0/54 (0.0%)NA
 Second-hand smoke exposure21/92 (22.8%)9/43 (20.9%)0.80512/76 (15.8%)9/54 (16.7%)0.893
 Urinary cotinine present8/93 (8.6%)5/38 (13.2%)0.43212/62 (19.4%)2/46 (4.3%)0.035
Anthropometry#
 Height cm152.82±1.65 (n=97)148.12±2.58 (n=43)0.604ƒ102.88±1.13 (n=76)103.62±1.52 (n=53)0.068ƒ
 Height z-score0.68±0.34 (n=97)0.58±0.2 (n=43)0.8511.14±0.16 (n=76)1.53±0.18 (n=53)0.108
 Weight kg51.74±1.85 (n=97)43.64±2.3 (n=43)0.067ƒ17.63±0.48 (n=77)17.27±0.46 (n=53)0.687ƒ
 Weight z-score1.14±0.21 (n=97)0.66±0.19 (n=43)0.1670.94±0.14 (n=77)0.92±0.13 (n=53)0.930
 BMI kg·m−221.52±0.5 (n=97)19.21±0.5 (n=43)0.035ƒ16.56±0.25 (n=76)15.99±0.15 (n=53)0.071ƒ
 BMI z-score0.99±0.13 (n=97)0.56±0.17 (n=43)0.0580.26±0.15 (n=76)−0.04±0.1 (n=53)0.133
Past medical history
 Mode of delivery
  Normal vaginal68/97 (70.1%)28/43 (65.1%)0.55859/77 (76.6%)38/54 (70.4%)0.422
  Instrumental5/97 (5.2%)3/43 (7.0%)0.6694/77 (5.2%)3/54 (5.6%)0.928
  Caesarian24/97 (24.7%)12/43 (27.9%)0.69314/77 (18.2%)13/54 (24.1%)0.413
 Breast feeding months5.09±0.8 (n=97)5.72±1.13 (n=43)0.6594.61±0.62 (n=77)7.43±0.81 (n=54)0.006
 Admitted to neonatal unit14/97 (14.4%)3/43 (7.0%)0.2237/77 (9.1%)3/54 (5.6%)0.457
Other medical problems
 Diagnosed hay fever75/91 (82.4%)33/40 (82.5%)0.99130/51 (58.8%)13/36 (36.1%)0.039
 Diagnosed eczema77/95 (81.1%)28/40 (70.0%)0.16242/57 (73.7%)32/40 (80.0%)0.473
 Diagnosed allergic rhinitis61/93 (65.6%)29/38 (76.3%)0.23222/52 (42.3%)11/36 (30.6%)0.265
 Diagnosed gastro-oesophageal reflux19/94 (20.2%)3/40 (7.5%)0.0818/58 (13.8%)11/40 (27.5%)0.097
 Diagnosed vocal cord dysfunction2/94 (2.1%)1/40 (2.5%)0.8940/59 (0.0%)0/40 (0.0%)NA
 Reported food allergy+39/97 (40.2%)14/43 (32.6%)0.39016/76 (21.1%)15/54 (27.8%)0.376
Allergic sensitisation
 Positive skin prick test69/83 (83.1%)33/37 (89.2%)0.39522/65 (33.8%)18/48 (37.5%)0.688
 Positive specific IgE40/47 (85.1%)21/24 (87.5%)0.78414/30 (46.7%)13/26 (50.0%)0.803
 Atopy§70/82 (85.4%)34/38 (89.5%)0.54023/63 (36.5%)18/48 (37.5%)0.915
  • Data are presented as n/N (%) or mean±se, unless otherwise stated. p-values were calculated using Pearson's Chi-squared test or a Kruskall–Wallis test. BMI: body mass index; NA: not applicable. #: anthropometry z-scores generated using the 1990 British growth data [22]; : gastro-oesophageal reflux was diagnosed on the basis of suggestive symptoms, pH monitoring, endoscopy or response to therapy; +: symptoms of reported food allergy represent symptoms of urticaria, angioedema, pruiritis, throat tightness, stridor, chest tightness or wheeze within 2 h of contact with food; §: atopy defined as a positive skin prick test (≥3 mm) or a positive specific IgE (≥0.35 kU·L−1); ƒ: p-values adjusted for age and sex.