Evaluation of the factors affecting lung function in pediatric patients with asthma

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to analyze the risk factors affecting lung function in children with asthma based on clinical data to advice on clinical treatment and prognosis.

Methods

This study included newly diagnosed patients with asthma admitted to the Respiratory Department of Chengdu Women’s and Children’s Central Hospital in Sichuan from July 2020 to June 2021. The factors associated with lung function were analyzed using univariate and multivariate linear regression with the forward method, while factors affecting lung ventilation function were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression.

Results

Sixty percent of the patients had normal lung function. Age was significantly negatively correlated with forced vital capacity (FVC)/FVC_predicted (B = –1.385, p = 0.001), FEV₁/FEV_1predicted (B = –2.092, p < 0.001), and FEV₁%/FEV₁%_predicted (B = –0.834, p = 0.001). Body mass index (BMI) for age Z score (B = 1.661, p = 0.045) and cesarean delivery (B = 4.471, p = 0.013) were significantly positively correlated with FVC/FVC_predicted. Birth weight was significantly positively correlated with FEV₁/FEV_1predicted (B = 4.593, p = 0.027). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age ≥6 years and cough variant asthma (CVA) were risk factors for abnormal lung function.

Conclusions

Age, BMI for age Z score, mode of delivery, and birth weight were significantly correlated with lung function in children with asthma. Furthermore, children with asthma and normal lung function were more likely to be overlooked. More attention should be given to children with asthma and normal lung function, and CVA.

Keywords:

• Asthma
• factors
• lung function
• pediatric

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank all the staff of Chengdu Women’s and Children’s Central Hospital in Sichuan who have contributed to this study. We also thank Shanghai Synyi Medical Technology Co., Ltd. for providing a data analysis and statistical platform.

Declaration of interest

The authors declared that there was no conflict of interest associated with the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by the Chengdu Technology Innovation R & D Project (2021-YF05-00591-SN) and Sichuan Maternal and child Health Care Association Maternal and Child Medical Science and Technology Innovation Project (21FX020).