Wheeze becomes more prevalent in girls than boys at about the age of 12

Wheeze becomes more prevalent in girls than boys at about the age of 12

In young children wheezing and asthma are more common in boys than girls, but this difference has reversed by early adulthood.Venn et al therefore measured age and sex specific prevalencesin amost 28 000 11-16 year olds in Nottingham (p 1945). Self reportedwheeze and diagnosed asthma were both more prevalent in girls(relative risk for wheeze in past year 1.24), but at 11 wheezewas more common in boys: thereafter it declined in boys and increasedin girls. On the basis of the children's reports of wheeze themean age of sex reversal was 12; on the basis of parents' responsesit was 13. The authors speculate that hormonal changes at pubertymay have a role in changing prevalences $---$ as might a greater increasein airways size in boys.

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Questionnaire study of effect of sex and age on the prevalence of wheeze and asthma in adolescence: Andrea Venn, Sarah Lewis, Marie Cooper, Jennifer Hill, and John Britton
BMJ 1998 316: 1945-1946. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]