A strong aspect of the study was that the information regarding the wheezing that occurred in the first 12 months of life was obtained when the infants were 12 to 15 months, thereby decreasing the likelihood of recall bias. Other important aspects of this study were the sample size and the use of a standardized questionnaire that allowed for the comparison between the different centers which performed the study. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that some factors were associated with risk of wheezing in
the first year of life, such as family history of asthma, pneumonia, more than six episodes of upper respiratory infections in early life, living in a polluted environment, and use of paracetamol and antibiotics. These factors varied when compared with other Brazilian studies that used the same protocol, which reinforces the need for further studies in other cities NVP-BGJ398 price of Brazil due to the environmental particularities of each region. Prospective follow-ups of wheezing infants are needed to analyze the impact of these risk factors over the long-term in Brazil. The identification of risk factors for wheezing in the first years of life is crucial not only for the diagnosis
of asthma, but also for the development of prevention strategies through public health policies aiming to minimize wheezing morbidity in childhood. Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Mato p38 MAPK phosphorylation Grosso (FAPEMAT), Process No. 004/2009- 447941/2009. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The authors would like to thank Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Mato Grosso (FAPEMAT) for the financial support (Process No. 447941/2009) and the Municipal Health Secretariat of Cuiabá (MT) for the authorization for the use of the public health services
for the performance of this study. “
“The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescence as the period from 10 to 19 years, characterized Histone demethylase by intense physical, psychological, and social changes. Rapid growth and nutritional vulnerability also characterize this phase, when there is consolidation of eating habits, which, when adequate, can become a protective factor for obesity, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders in adulthood.1 According to the household budget survey (HBS) conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística – IBGE) in the years 2008 and 2009, excess body weight was identified in approximately 20% of the adolescent population of the metropolitan areas of Brazil.2 When weight increases due to excess body fat, it can lead to adolescent obesity, which has been considered a predictor of risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and hypertension.