The Melbourne Epidemiological Study of Childhood Asthma (MESCA) is one of the longest-running respiratory studies in the world. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and describe the natural history of childhood asthma and wheezy bronchitis. MESCA started in 1964, when four asthma/wheeze groups and a control group, all aged 7, were recruited and have been followed into their seventh decade. The study has collected unique, repeated data on asthma, respiratory symptoms, and lung function over seven decades. It has provided critical insights into the natural history and long-term outcomes of childhood asthma. MESCA is the first prospective study to provide robust evidence for the link between childhood asthma and the development of COPD. Participants are now entering their seventh decade of life, and their rich, lifetime data provides a unique opportunity to investigate a wide range of outcomes, including multimorbidity and healthy aging.
Bui et al. (Wed,) studied this question.