A study of lung developmental disability and prognosis in asthmatics using data from a long-term large cohort

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K16152
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53030:Respiratory medicine-related
• Research Institution: Kurume University
• Principal Investigator: Sasaki Jun 久留米大学, 医学部, 助教 (60569424)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 小児喘息 / 肺の発育障害 / 低肺機能 / 喘息コントロール

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We included 505 children with asthma from the Omuta City Air Pollution-Related Health Damage Cohort Program. The characteristics and lung function of girls and boys aged 6-11 years and 12-17 years were compared between poor and good asthma control groups. The mean percentage forced expiratory volume in 1 second predicted for girls and boys aged 6-11 years and 12-17 years　in the poor control group was significantly lower than those of girls and boys aged 6-11 years and 12-17 years in the good control group. However, a linear regression model did not reveal between-group differences in the slopes of lung function growth for both sexes. Girls and boys in the poor control group had a significantly higher proportion of young adults with obstructive ventilatory patterns than girls and boys in the good control group. Our findings revealed that poor childhood asthma control leaded to lung function disorders, which suggest the importance of early asthma control in school children.

Free Research Field

閉塞性肺疾患

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

海外での報告と同様に、小児期の喘息コントロール不良が小児期および若年成人期の低肺機能につながることが、日本人の長期コホートデータにおいても確認できた。小児期の早期かつ持続的な喘息管理は、成人期に正常な肺機能を維持すること、さらには肺の成長障害に伴う慢性閉塞性肺疾患の発症割合を減少させることにつながると考えられる。小児期からの早期かつ持続的な喘息管理の重要性が示された。