Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, part of the EISL(International Study of Wheezing in Infant). The parents or legal guardians of the infant aged 1-15 months attending health centers for immunization were interviewed and administered the EISL questionnaire, a standardized and validated instrument consisting o questions on demographic characteristics, wheezing, respiratory infections and risk factors. during the period between January 2008 and July 2010.
Results: Sampled infants (n=1061) had a mean age of 13.09 months with a prevalence of wheezing during their first year of life of 28.56%. 10,37% had 3-6 episodes. They lived in a poor area of the city, with low maternal education level (60,13% had ≥ 8 years of formal education) with an income < 500 US$ (99,81%). The exposure to prenatal maternal smoking was 9,61%, with 12.63% of maternal smoking and 34,31% of household smoking. The infant borned by caesarean section were 26,30% and a mean of breastfeeding of 3,4 months. Maternal history of asthma and rhinitis were 5,02% and 27,50% respectively.
Conclusions: The prevalence of wheezing among infants living in a poor area of Uruguaiana is high. It is necessary to identify if the risk factors of wheezing in this low socio-economic level population differ from environmental stimuli found in developed countries.