Pediatric asthma: the age of onset and presenting features in Minia Governorate, Egypt

Introduction Asthma is a heterogeneous chronic airway disease that is common in childhood. Childhood asthma is commonly related to other atopic diseases. The potential correlation of allergic sensitization and asthma in children has been contributed to the allergic model of the March. Aim The study aims to estimate the age of onset of asthma in children in Minia governorate, in middle Egypt, and also to see the presenting features of bronchial asthma in our locality and compare this with what is present in different parts of the world. Patients and methods This study was carried out in the Pediatric and Chest Departments of Minia University hospitals. The study included 100 children with a clear diagnosis of bronchial asthma. Detailed medical history concerned mainly with the respiratory events were recorded between birth and the time of study enrollment. This also included some asthma family history or other allergic disorders (allergic rhinitis, eczema, and allergic conjunctivitis). Results In most cases, asthma symptoms started less than 1 year of age (64% of the studied group). Asthma symptoms started between the age of 1.1 and 2 years in 16% of patients and above 6 years of age in only 12% of cases. Overall, 40% of the studied group had a positive family history of bronchial asthma in their mothers and 44% of them had a positive family history of bronchial asthma in their fathers. Only 10% of the studied group had a positive family history of bronchial asthma of both parents. Conclusion A great portion of asthmatic children fulfill the criteria of bronchial asthma diagnosis in the first year of their life. Only a small portion of asthmatic children start their asthma after the age of 6 years.