Gene-environment interactions and airway disease in children.

Abstract

Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States, affecting nearly 6.5 million children. The prevalence and severity of childhood asthma have continued to increase over the past 2 decades, despite major advances in the recognition and treatment of this condition. Representing a heterogeneous collection of airway diseases, asthma has multiple pathologic processes resulting from the interactions of genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures. Preventing and treating airway disease in children will require new research approaches to understanding these complex interactions.