Associations between asthma status and radiologically confirmed fracture in children: A data-linkage study

Abstract

Aim: World-wide, approximately 14% of children have prevalent asthma. As most bone accrual occurs in childhood, and data suggest a detrimental role in bone from asthma and/or medications, we investigated whether asthma was associated with radiologically confirmed fractures in a large cohort of children. Methods: Data from the Barwon Asthma Study (2005), a population-based, cross-sectional survey of all children attending 91 primary schools in the Barwon Statistical Division, were linked to the Geelong Osteoporosis Study Fracture Grid (2006–2007), a fracture register encompassing the Barwon Statistical Division (n = 16 438; 50.5% boys; aged 3.5–13.6 years). Asthma, ascertained from parent-rep..