Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41314662›Full record

ArticleBMJ open respiratory research2025

Factors associated with asthma attack recurrence in Ecuadorian children: longitudinal study of potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

Santiago Mena-Bucheli, Diana Morillo, Martha Chico, Angelica Ochoa-Aviles, Claudia Rodas-Espinoza, Karen Arteaga, Augusto Maldonado, Alejandro Rodriguez, Camila A Figueiredo, Alvaro A Cruz and 3 more

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Article in BMJ open respiratory research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Santiago Mena-BucheliEscuela de Medicina, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
Diana MorilloDepartment of Biosciences, Universidad de Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador.
Martha ChicoEscuela de Medicina, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
Angelica Ochoa-AvilesDepartment of Biosciences, Universidad de Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador.
Claudia Rodas-EspinozaFacultad de Medicina, Universidad de Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador.
Karen ArteagaEmergency Department, Hospital Verdi Cevallos Balda, Portoviejo, Ecuador.
Augusto MaldonadoEscuela de Medicina, Universidad San Francsico de Quito, Quito, Ecuador.
Alejandro RodriguezEscuela de Medicina, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
Camila A FigueiredoInstituto de Ciencias da Saude, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
Alvaro A CruzNucleo de Excelencia en Asma, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
Natalia Romero-Sandoval *Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
Irina Chis Ster *School of Health and Medical Sciences, City St George's University of London, London, UK.
Philip J Cooper *Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador pcooper@citystgeorges.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6770-6871

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic caused a major disruption in access to and use of health resources and facilities. There are limited longitudinal data from low-resource settings on the impact of pandemic mitigation strategies and medication use on asthma attacks in children.

methodsWe did a longitudinal study of risk factors for asthma attack recurrence among children aged 5-17 years presenting with an attack to emergency rooms in public hospitals in Ecuador. Children were followed for at least 12 months by monthly telemonitoring. Cox regression models for multiple recurrences were used to identify potential risk factors.

results213 asthmatic children were recruited from May 2019 to March 2020 when recruitment was interrupted by a COVID-19 lockdown: 97% were followed for at least 12 months (median 419 days, IQRs 393-421 days). In multivariable analysis, the lockdown effect (adjusted HR 0.35, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.56, p<0.001) and use of inhaled corticosteroids (adjusted HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.93, p=0.020) were strongly protective against recurrence while short-acting β2 agonist use was associated with increased recurrence, particularly among children with a previous asthma diagnosis (interaction p=0.033). Other risk factors were household mould (adjusted HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.95, p=0.031) and number of prerecruitment emergency room visits (adjusted HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.11, p=0.040).

conclusionOur data show in a population of asthmatic children from marginalised urban neighbourhoods in Ecuador, that use of inhaled corticosteroids was protective against asthma attack recurrence as were mitigation strategies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce transmission of respiratory viruses.

Indexed as

AsthmaCOVID-19AdolescentAdrenal Cortex HormonesChildChild, PreschoolEcuadorFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMalePandemicsRecurrenceRisk FactorsSARS-CoV-2Adrenal Cortex HormonesAsthma EpidemiologyPaediatric asthma

Identifiers

PMID41314662
PMCPMC12684217

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.