Childhood asthma and its association with selected obstetric and neonatal factors among children aged 3-10 years: evidence from a South Asian population

Asthma is one of the most common disease of childhood that is associated with significant morbidity and economic cost worldwide. This study aims to determine the proportion of children with childhood asthma and its association with selected obstetric and neonatal factors in children aged 3-10 years in tertiary care hospitals in Colombo district, Sri Lanka. A cross sectional analytical study was conducted on a systematic sample of 266 children, aged 3-10 presenting to paediatric clinics and wards of two tertiary care hospitals over a period of 6 months. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used on mothers to assess socio-demographic, neonatal and obstetric factors related to asthma, its onset, severity and control. Bivariate analysis was performed to determine associations using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Equal sex distribution of 1:1 and a mean age of 5.48 (SD=1.947) were observed; 29.7% were diagnosed to have asthma and 72.2% had onset before 4 years of age. Childhood asthma was significantly associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and pre gestational diabetes mellitus (PDM) (OR 3.54, CI 1.42-8.78, p=0.04), advanced maternal age (OR 2.68, CI 1.24-5.81, p=0.01), maternal hypothyroidism (OR 5.04, CI 1.22-20.69, p=0.02), family history (OR 23.675, CI 11.6-48.3, p=0.001) and birth length (p=0.002). No significant associations with sex, period of gestation at birth, mode of delivery and birth weight were observed. Childhood asthma is significantly associated with GDM, PDM, maternal hypothyroidism, advanced maternal age, family history of asthma and birth length of the child.