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The aim of the present study is to assess a development of bronchial asthma (BA) in children with wheeze bronchitis and in small preterm babys with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) during 3 years of observation period. According to the literature, children with BPD have a strong risk for subsequent asthma and 1/3 of children with early childhood wheezing go on to develop asthma later on. Atopy has been found to be the most significant predisposing factor for later asthma among young children, but this is not the case in Estonia. We are therefore going to estimate a certain risk factors, i.e. virus infections, especially respiratory syncytial (RS) virus, recurrent episodes of bronchial obstruction, low birth weight and preterm birth as a morphological substrate. Thease risk factors in childhood have not been previously studied in Estonia. Secondly, we would like to estimate parameters of allergic inflammation and T cell responses to RS virus in wheezing children and children with BPD measuring the level of cytokines (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10) and serum eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) consentration in sera. Asthma begins in early childhood and asthma symptoms in 15-20% of children developes during the first year of life, in 50% of children during the first three years of life.The gaining of better knowledge about local risk factors in early childhood will help us to identify and to select the children at risk of developing asthma. Also it is important to apply preventive programs to help them. Rapidly economically changing Estonia will be a good "laboratory" for the study allergy and asthma. In a way it will give a unique chance to explain a mysterious enigma why allergy and asthma are steadily increasing whole in the world. |