Comorbid conditions in children with bronchial asthma

Introduction. Despite significant advances in understanding bronchial asthma (BA), disease control remains problematic, with comorbid conditions being one potential contributing factor.

Aim. To assess the prevalence ofmajor comorbid diseases in children with BA residing in the Priamurye.

Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis was performed using medical records of 315 pediatric BA patients (mean age 11.15 ± 0.21 years) observed at the Khabarovsk Branch of the Far Eastern Scientific Center of Physiology and Pathology of Respiration – Research Institute for Maternal and Child Health Protection between 2015 and 2025. The cohort included 57.8% boys and 42.2% girls. Disease severity was classified as mild in 29.5%, moderate in 61%, and severe in 9.5% of cases. Full asthma control was achieved in 31.7% of children, while 68.3% had uncontrolled disease.

Results. Comorbid conditions were identified in 97.5% of BA patients. Allergic diseases were the most prevalent (78.7%), particularly allergic rhinitis (64.1%) and atopic dermatitis (14.3%). Chronic gastrointestinal disorders were present in 29.5% of patients, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in 27.3%. Endocrine comorbidities were diagnosed in 23.5% of children, with obesity accounting for 18.7%. Comorbidity index analysis revealed that 22.8% of children had one comorbid condition, 29.6% had two, and 45.1% had three or more comorbidities.

Conclusion. Critically high prevalence of comorbid pathology was found among children with BA in the Priamurye, with nearly half exhibiting multimorbidity (three or more concurrent conditions). Allergic rhinitis, gastrointestinal disorders – particularly GERD – and obesity were the leading comorbidities. These findings help in choosing the most effective strategy for managing the patient, considering their comorbid conditions.

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