Relationship between Pediatric Wheezing Attack Frequency and Sugarcane Harvest Work: Prospective Cohort Study / 日本プライマリ・ケア連合学会誌

ABSTRACT

<p><b>Introduction: </b>Our aim was to determine the relationship between pediatric wheezing attacks and sugarcane harvest work.</p><p><b>Methods: </b>We recorded daily symptoms, including wheezing attacks, from 167 children attending kindergarten, elementary and junior high school on Minamidaito Island, Okinawa. We calculated wheezing attack frequency every two months and checked the seasonal changes. Logistic regressions were performed to examine the relationship between wheezing attacks and background factors.</p><p><b>Result: </b>The collection rate of the check sheets was 62.5%. The median age was 7.5 years old, male-to-female ratio was 8:7 and the percentage of children with asthma was 36%. Wheezing attack frequency during sugarcane harvest work (January-March) had increased significantly compared with other periods. There was a number of wheezing attacks even in children without asthma.</p><p><b>Conclusion: </b>There is a possibility that sugarcane harvest work is related with pediatric wheezing attacks.</p>