Black race, food allergies, allergic rhinitis significantly associated with new diagnosis of asthma
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, April 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity in children is not associated with an increased risk for new asthma diagnosis, according to a study published online April 12 in Pediatrics.
James P. Senter, M.D., M.P.H., from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study involving children ages 1 to 16 years who received PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 between March 1, 2020, and Feb. 28, 2021. The hazard ratio for new asthma diagnosis was compared between SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive and negative groups within an 18-month observation period.
The study included 27,423 individuals. The researchers found that SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity had no significant effect on new asthma diagnosis, while Black race, food allergies, and allergic rhinitis significantly increased the risk for new asthma diagnosis (hazard ratios, 1.49, 1.26, and 2.30, respectively). For children younger than 5 years, preterm birth and body mass index significantly increased the risk for new asthma diagnosis (hazard ratios, 1.48 and 1.13, respectively).
“SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity does not confer an additional risk for asthma diagnosis, at least within the first 18 months after PCR test,” the authors write. “This information may be useful for families and providers alike in the prognostication of the long-term respiratory effects after SARS-CoV-2 infection in children.”
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