Association Between Peanut Allergy and Asthma Morbidity

Received 15 June 2009; received in revised form 12 October 2009; accepted 24 November 2009. published online 15 February 2010.

Objective

To evaluate the relationship between peanut allergy and asthma morbidity in school-age children.

Study design

The study involved a medical chart review to assess the association of peanut allergy with asthma morbidity in children beyond age 3 years. Peanut allergy was assessed by specific and validated criteria. A Poisson regression model was used to compare the frequency of systemic steroid use and of hospitalization for asthma beyond age 3 years in children with asthma with and without peanut allergy.

Results

Children with peanut allergy had a 2.32-times greater rate of hospitalization (P = .03) and a 1.59-times greater rate of systemic steroid use (P <.001) after controlling for covariates.

Conclusions

Peanut allergy serves as an early marker for asthma morbidity. Early prevention and intervention can improve quality of care.

CI, Confidence interval, ICAP RAST, ImmunoCAP radioallergosorbent test, NAEPP, National Asthma Education and Prevention Program, PPV, Positive predictive value, RR, Risk ratio, SPT, Skin prick test

a Department of Pediatrics, Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE

b Division of Allergy and Immunology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA

Reprint requests: Ejaz Yousef, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Chief, Division of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, 1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, DE 19803.

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

PII: S0022-3476(09)01215-3

doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.11.080

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