Understanding recurrent wheezing: A parent’s guide

Table 1 Baseline characteristics and investigations at enrollment, n (%)

Characteristics	Recurrent wheezing (n = 33)	Non-recurrent wheezing (n = 96)	P value
Male	13 (39.39)	46 (47.92)	0.425
Age (months)	27.68 ± 14.95	30.61 ± 14.52	0.330
Age category (months)
> 36-60	10 (30.30)	26 (27.08)	0.477
> 24-36	13 (39.39)	30 (31.25)
> 12-24	8 (24.24)	24 (25.00)
≤ 12	2 (6.06)	16 (16.67)
Preterm birth	2 (7.69)	8 (9.20)	0.585
Low birth weight	2 (7.69)	9 (10.47)	0.425
Cesarean birth	15 (60.00)	50 (60.98)	0.555
Allergic rhinitis	7 (21.21)	4 (4.17)	0.006
Atopic dermatitis	4 (12.12)	12 (12.50)	0.612
History of food/drug allergy	2 (6.06)	3 (3.12)	0.602
Urban residency	23 (69.70)	73 (76.04)	0.493
Underlying disease	14 (42.42)	23 (23.96)	0.048
Hematologic disease	4 (12.12)	4 (4.17)	0.202
Maternal smoking during pregnancy	2 (9.09)	11 (11.58)	0.542
Secondhand smoke	52 (22.73)	23 (4.21)	0.560
Parental asthma	4 (16.00)	0 (0.00)	0.002
Daycare attendance	17 (70.83)	53 (55.79)	0.247
Hct	33 ± 35.55	96 ± 36.43	0.129
WBC	14420.30 ± 5268.52	11057.81 ± 4466.33	< 0.001
Neutrophil (%)	50.37 ± 20.89	50.37 ± 18.86	0.112
ANC	8965.52 ± 5118.23	5843.84 ± 3702.22
Lymphocyte (%)	32.72 ± 18.43	39.76 ± 18.42	0.061
ALC	4240.18	4535.91	0.660
Eosinophil (%)	2.20 ± 1.83	1.03 ± 1.34	< 0.001
AEC	322.85 ± 318.11	113.80 ± 151.50	< 0.001
Eosinophilia (AEC > 500)	9 (27.27)	3 (3.12)	< 0.001
Platelet count	361393.90 ± 106626.40	339863.20 ± 99551.72	0.295
Anemia	7 (21.21)	14 (14.58)	0.416
Pet ownership			0.250
None	17 (80.95)	83 (89.25)
Dog	1 (4.76)	6 (6.45)
Cat	3 (14.29)	3 (3.23)
Both dog and cat	0 (0.00)	1 (1.08)
Post-RSV infection	12 (38.71)	58 (65.91)	0.011
Influenza A	0 (0.00)	2 (2.33)	0.539
Post-LRTI	21 (63.64)	20 (20.83)	< 0.001
Post-URTI	19 (57.58)	47 (48.96)	0.425

Hct: Hematocrit; WBC: White blood cell count; ANC: Absolute neutrophil count; ALC: Absolute lymphocyte count; AEC: Absolute eosinophil count; LRTI: Lower respiratory tract infection; URTI: Upper respiratory tract infection.