[P4117] Gender differences in asthmatic children

According to literature, female asthmatic patients show more severe asthma with lower level of lung function. Aim of our study is to assess gender differences in host/environmental characteristics, in asthma severity level and comorbities among patients followed at the IBIM Pulmonary and Allergy Paediatric Clinic. A series of asthmatic patients (September 2011 - November 2013) were investigated through standardized questionnaire and spirometry. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS release 19. Preliminary results refer to 215 patients: 133 males (M) (61.86%) and 82 females (F) (38.13%); age (years): 9.20 ± 2.7 M vs 9.10 ± 2.7 F; birth weight (gr): 3249± 602.20 M vs 3104±555.54 F (p=0.094; BMI (Kg/m2): 20.24 ± 5.01 M vs 18.81 ± 4.11 F (p=0.030); being overweight-obese: 16.5% M vs 12.2% F (p=0.034); history of Upper Respiratory Infections:65.2% M vs 53.7% F (p=0.094); exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy:13.7% M vs 4.9% F (p=0.041); current exposure to pets 27.5% M vs 14.8% F (p=0.032); FEV1 (%Pred) 95.09 ± 14.74 M vs 90.23 ± 16.87 F (p=0.027); FVC (%Pred) 98.70 ± 14.84 M vs 93.54 ± 15.68 F (p=0.016); FEF25-75/FVC 0.93±0.28 M vs 1.03±0.37F (p=0.020); coexistence of atopic dermatitis 22% M vs 35.4% F (p=0.032), GERD 15.2% M vs 8.5% F (p=0.157), Urticaria-Angioedema 22% M vs 34.1% F (p=0.050). No differences were found in level of asthma severity and control level and atopy index. In conclusion, we confirmed in a consecutive series of paediatric patients that there are gender differences in host and environmental risk factor for asthma as well as in spirometric indices and comobidities. Further longitudinal analyses are needed in order to assess the impact of gender differences on asthma management.