Risk Factors Exposure during the First Life Year and Asthma Development among Albanian Children

Abstract Background: Different environmental factors are accused as risk factors (RF) in the development of allergic respiratory diseases. This study aimed to investigate the role of exposure to suspected RFs during the first life year in the development of childhood asthma among Albanian capital residents with a provincial or suburban origin. Method: Parental reports about own asthmatic children (276, m 160, f 116, aged 1-14, mean age 5.6) were collected regarding conduction of cesarean delivery, breast feeding, exposure to high house humidity, pets, or to passive tobacco smoke, and presence of familiar atopy or atopic dermatitis during the first life year. These results were compared with a sample of non-allergic children (100, m 49, f 51, mean age 5.7), diagnosed with common upper respiratory infections. Results: Conduction of cesarean section (OR = 9.8, p = 0.0002), exposure to high humidity at home (OR = 3.77, p = 0.0001), or to passive tobacco smoke (OR = 4.78, p < 0.0001), as well as presence of atopic dermatitis (OR = 10.37, p = 0.0001) was significantly associated with asthma development. Familiar atopy (OR = 1.07) and exposure to pets (OR = 1.66) resulted insignificant, whereas breast feeding resulted in protective factor (OR = 0.48, p = 0.0134). Conclusion: Cesarean section during birth, increased humidity level at home, atopy and passive tobacco smoke during the first life year could be RFs regarding the asthma development. The avoidance of mentioned factors at least during the mentioned period may reduce the development risk of this disease