Objective: Acute bronchiolitis is a lower respiratory tract infection of children under 2 years of age, characterized by bronchial obstruction. Atopy and genetic factors can play a predisposing role in the development of virus-related wheezing. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between recurrent wheezing attacks and the presence of atopy/asthma in relatives other than father, mother, siblings, and the presence of dust and/or moisture in the house.
Methods: This study was performed prospectively with infants diagnosed as first attack bronchiolitis from the outpatient clinics from 2009 to 2011. Each patients age, sex, the presence of atopy/asthma in relatives other than father, mother, siblings, and the presence of dust and/or moisture in the house was evaluated.
Results: The study included 500 infants aged between 1-24 months. Atopy and/or asthma was present in 20,2% (n=101) of relatives other than father, mother and siblings. Dust and/or moisture was present in 27% (n=135) of houses. When we compared the characteristics of infants, 92.6% of infant living in dust/moisture in the house, 65.2% of infants with no dust/moisture in the house, 91.1% of infants with family history of atopy/asthma in relatives other than mother, father, siblings, 67.9% with no family history had ?3 episodes of wheezing.
Conclusion: In this study we found a significant relationship between recurrent episodes of wheezing and the presence of atopy/asthma in relatives other than father, mother, siblings. Presence of dust and/or moisture in the house is also a risk factor for recurrent episodes of wheezing.
Key words: Asthma, atopy, bronchiolitis, infant, wheezing
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