The role of acute and chronic stress in asthma attacks in children
Abstract
Background High levels of stress have been shown to predict the onset of asthma in children genetically at risk, and to correlate with higher asthma morbidity. Our study set out to examine whether stressful experiences actually provoke new exacerbations in children who already have asthma. Methods A group of child patients with verified chronic asthma were prospectively followed up for 18 months. We used continuous monitoring of asthma by the use of diaries and daily peak-flow values, accompanied by repeated interview assessments of life events and long-term psychosocial experiences. The key measures included asthma exacerbations, severely negative life events, and chronic stressors. Findings Severe events, both on their own and in conjunction with high chronic stress, significantly increased the risk of new asthma attacks. The effect of severe events without accompanying chronic stress involved a small delay; they had no effect within the first 2 weeks, but significantly increased the risk in the subsequent 4 weeks (odds ratio 1.71 [95% CI 1.04-2.82], p Interpretation Severely negative life events increase the risk of children's asthma attacks over the coming few weeks. This risk is magnified and brought forward in time if the child's life situation is also characterised by multiple chronic stressors.
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Stressed persons are prone to viral infections.
“Stressed persons are prone to viral infections, more frequent and severe flare-ups of asthma, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis, and to developing premature coronary disease (2–7).”
From A Functional Genomic Fingerprint of Chronic Stress in Humans: Blunted Glucocorticoid and Increased NF-κB Signaling (2008) · cites this paper as [6]
Stressed persons have more frequent and severe flare-ups of asthma, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis.
“Stressed persons are prone to viral infections, more frequent and severe flare-ups of asthma, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis, and to developing premature coronary disease (2–7).”
From A Functional Genomic Fingerprint of Chronic Stress in Humans: Blunted Glucocorticoid and Increased NF-κB Signaling (2008) · cites this paper as [6]
Stressed persons are prone to developing premature coronary disease.
“Stressed persons are prone to viral infections, more frequent and severe flare-ups of asthma, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis, and to developing premature coronary disease (2–7).”
From A Functional Genomic Fingerprint of Chronic Stress in Humans: Blunted Glucocorticoid and Increased NF-κB Signaling (2008) · cites this paper as [6]
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- Authors
- Sandberg, S., Paton, J. Y., Ahola, S., McCann, D. C., McGuinness, D., Hillary, C. R., & Oja, H.
- Affiliations
- University of Helsinki (FI)
- University of Glasgow (GB)
- University of Southampton (GB)
- University of Jyväskylä (FI)
- Venue
- The Lancet
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2000-09
- Volume
- 356
- Issue
- 9234
- Pages
- 982-987
- ISSN
- 0099-5355 (ISSN-L)
- 0140-6736
- OpenAlex
- W2119614430
- Cited by
- 464
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 6.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Lancet (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (acceptedVersion)
- ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (submittedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Academy of Finland
- Medical Research Council
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Occupational exposure and asthma
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Research
- Keywords
- childhood asthma, asthma exacerbations, acute stress, chronic stress, life events, psychosocial stressors, parental smoking, seasonal variation, asthma severity, sex differences
- MeSH terms
- Acute Disease, Adolescent, Asthma, Child, Chronic Disease, Female, Humans, Male, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Seasons, Severity of Illness Index, Social Class, Stress, Psychological, Logistic Models, Air Pollution, Indoor, Sex Distribution
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