[Recurrent community acquired pneumonia in young children: risk factor for the development of childhood asthma?].

OBJECTIVE To determine if recurrent community acquired pneumonia (RP) is a risk factor for developing childhood asthma (CA), compared with those children who only suffer one episode of pneumonia or non-recurrent pneumonia (NRP). To determine if patients with CA are more disposed to suffer RP. DESIGN Historical cohort study. SETTING Primary care. PARTICIPANTS A total of 80 episodes of pneumonia identified in 65 infants between the 1st of February 1996 and 30th June 1999. PRINCIPAL MEASUREMENTS The relative risk (RR) and confidence interval (95% CI) of childhood asthma in the presence of recurrent pneumonia as compared to non-recurrent pneumonia, and the RR of recurrent pneumonia in the presence of childhood asthma. RESULTS Of the 65 children included, 18 had RP (27.7%; 95% CI, 16.8-38.6). The prevalence of CA was 49.2% (32 children) (95% CI, 37.1-61.4). The diagnosis of CA at any time was higher in children with RP (RR=4.1; 95% CI, 1.9-8.9). There were no differences between the incidence of RP and NRP in children previously diagnosed with CA (RR=1.28; 95% CI, 0.5-3.0). CONCLUSIONS A special follow-up needs to be carried out on all children diagnosed with RP in primary care, since the possibility of presenting with CA is higher in these cases.