INFLUENCE OF LOWER RESPIRATORY ILLNESS IN INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD AND SUBSEQUENT CIGARETTE-SMOKING ON LUNG-FUNCTION IN SYDNEY SCHOOL-CHILDREN

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A prospective study of respiratory illness history and lung function of 10,898 school children in Sydney, Australia was begun in 1971. At the 1st visit, a history of previous asthma and of bronchitis before and after the 1st 2 yr of life was obtained from a parental questionnaire, and maximal expiratory flow-volume curves were recorded. These lung function studies were repeated yearly between 1972-1974, at which time a history of respiratory illness during the previous 12 mo. and a personal smoking history were recorded. Two groups of children from a random selection of primary and secondary schools in Sydney were studied. Their respective mean ages were 8.9 yr (primary group) and 12.6 yr (high school group) in 1971. Mean values for the maximal flow at 50% of the forced vital capacity [FVC50] were lower in children with a history of bronchitis and/or asthma than those in the control group. This was true in both age groups in both sexes. No differences were found in the 0.5 s forced expiratory volume or FVC. The differences in maximal flow at FVC50 were present again in 1974. In 1974, the data from smokers were compared with those from nonsmokers; small differences were found. Bronchitis in infancy and childhood and asthma may affect lung function as children grow, the abnormality may not be detected by the forced expiratory volume, the abnormality may not be detected by the forced expiratory volume, the abnormality persists, and it is possible that the abnormality is further affected by smoking.