RISK-FACTORS FOR ADULT-ONSET WHEEZE - A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Risk factors associated with adult onset wheeze were examined in a cas e control study of subjects aged 39-45 yr derived from a community coh ort of 2,056 asymptomatic children originally studied in 1964. Partici pants included 102 cases with adult onset wheeze (since age 15) and 21 7 controls with no wheeze. Logistic regression analysis was used to de termine independent risk factors for wheeze among all cases and three subgroups: doctor diagnosed asthma (n = 24), wheeze with chronic cough and phlegm (n = 31), and other wheeze (n = 47). The risk of adult ons et wheeze among all cases increased with low socioeconomic status (rel ative risk [RR] 2.36), current smoking (RR 2.01), positive atopic stat us (RR 3.28), and positive family history of atopic disease (RR 5.49). Gender was not related to the risk of wheezing. The pattern of signif icant independent risk factors differed between the subgroups of cases . Socioeconomic status was associated with cough and phlegm and other wheeze. Smoking habit was only related to cough and phlegm. Atopy was associated with doctor diagnosed asthma and cough and phlegm. Family h istory of atopic disease was related to all subgroups, suggesting that despite apparent heterogeneity in diagnostic labeling, concurrent sym ptoms, and other risk factors, the different forms of adult onset whee ze may share a common allergic basis.