What are the Risk Factors for Developing Persistent Asthma?

I want to highlight some parts of an article I read on asthma by Spahn and Covar because this article addresses some important questions that parents and newly diagnosed patients with asthma ask me. Basically, how long will I have asthma or wheezing?

Wheezing is common in the first three years of life. There are many different causes of wheezing - each with its own risk factors and prognoses. Less than 50% of young children with wheezing will go on develop asthma. Here is a list of factors associated with progression from infantile wheezing to asthma in school age:
1. Allergen sensitization (#1 strongest and most consistent risk factor)
2. Family history of parent with atopy or parent with asthma
3. Atopic dermatitis
4. Onset of wheezing after age 2 years of age
5. RSV bronchiolitis requiring hospitalization in the first year of life
6. Asthma Predictive Index:
one major (one parent with asthma, concurrent atopic dermatitis)
two minor (wheezing apart from colds, eosinophilia, food allergy).
More to follow 3/15/09 NK