Infant asthma in Tunisia

: Asthma is a frequent often unrecognized disease. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and evolutive characteristics of this disorder in a population of Tunisian hospitalized infants. This is a retrospective study of infants less than 30 months of age, presenting at least 3 episodes of wheezing dyspnea. Our results showed that asthmatic infants accounted for 43% of total asthmatic children. The onset of respiratory symptoms was at the age of 6.9 (5.2) months. The disease began by acute bronchiolitis in 90% of cases. The first asthma attack was severe in 17% of cases. Atopic eczema was found in 15% of cases. A positive family history of allergic disease was noticed by 60% of the patients, 48% of them being asthma. Skin prick tests were positive in 27% of cases and the most frequently identified allergens were dust mites. Among 175 infants treated during more than 24 months, 27% of cases are still symptomatic. Twenty-eight patients have moderate or severe asthma. Atopic family history, positive skin pricks test and acute attack precedents were predictive factors of an unfavorable evolution. It will be necessary to identify as early as possible infants who are genetically predisposed to develop atopy and asthma so that preventive measures can be instituted.