Editorials

Growing up with asthma

Childhood asthma has been regarded as relatively benign and a condition that children often "grow out of." Recently, however, investigators have reported higher prevalence of asthma in children^{1 2} and more frequent persistence of childhood asthma into adult life.³ Hence further studies on factors predicting remission or persistence of childhood asthma, and the development of adult asthma, are welcomed.

Two papers in this week's journal describe outcomes of asthma in cohorts of Australian children. Both longitudinal studies began in the 1960s and both followed up children recruited at age 7 until their 30s. One might therefore expect the findings of the two studies to be similar. Nevertheless, Jenkins et al conclude that "children with asthma reported by their parents were more likely than not to be free of symptoms as adults" (p 90)⁴ while Oswald et al conclude that "many . . . [Full text of this article]

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Relevant Article

Natural history of childhood asthma Other studies have been ignored

M S Ostergaard and M R Sears
BMJ 1994 309: 1086. [Extract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Subbarao, P., Mandhane, P. J., Sears, M. R. (2009). Asthma: epidemiology, etiology and risk factors. CMAJ 181: E181-E190 [Full text]  
• Sears, M. R., Greene, J. M., Willan, A. R., Wiecek, E. M., Taylor, D. R., Flannery, E. M., Cowan, J. O., Herbison, G. P., Silva, P. A., Poulton, R. (2003). A Longitudinal, Population-Based, Cohort Study of Childhood Asthma Followed to Adulthood. NEJM 349: 1414-1422 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• RHODES, H. L., THOMAS, P., SPORIK, R., HOLGATE, S. T., COGSWELL, J. J. (2002). A Birth Cohort Study of Subjects at Risk of Atopy . Twenty-two-year Follow-up of Wheeze and Atopic Status. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 165: 176-180 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Manor, O., Matthews, S., Power, C. (2001). Self-rated health and limiting longstanding illness: inter-relationships with morbidity in early adulthood. Int J Epidemiol 30: 600-607 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Balon, J., Aker, P. D., Crowther, E. R., Danielson, C., Cox, P. G., O'Shaughnessy, D., Walker, C., Goldsmith, C. H., Duku, E., Sears, M. R. (1998). A Comparison of Active and Simulated Chiropractic Manipulation as Adjunctive Treatment for Childhood Asthma. NEJM 339: 1013-1020 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Ostergaard, M S, Sears, M R (1994). Natural history of childhood asthma Other studies have been ignored. BMJ 309: 1086-1086 [Full text]