Are asthma and allergies in children and adolescents increasing? Results from ISAAC phase I and phase III surveys in Munster, Germany.

Return to Vaccination News Home Page __» Right-click to "open in new window"

Subscribe to the Vaccination NewsLetter

View past & current Scandals (columns by Sandy Mintz)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12823113&dopt=Abstract

PubMed

: Allergy. 2003 Jul;58(7):572-9.

Are asthma and allergies in children and adolescents increasing? Results from ISAAC phase I and phase III surveys in Munster, Germany.

Maziak W, Behrens T, Brasky TM, Duhme H, Rzehak P, Weiland SK, Keil U.

Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Munster, Germany.

OBJECTIVE: To assess time trends in symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic eczema among children in Munster, Germany. METHODS: Two cross-sectional surveys 5-years apart (1994/1995, 1999/2000) using ISAAC core written and video questionnaires and applying the ISAAC protocol. Two main age groups (6-7 and 13-14 year olds) were designated with information collected by parental and self-report for both age groups, respectively. A school-based sample of 7744 participants in the 1994/1995 survey and 7962 participants in the 1999/2000 survey was recruited. In the first and second surveys, response rates for the 6-7 year olds were 81 and 82%, respectively, while for the 13-14 year olds response rates were 94% in both. Analyses focus on the change in 12-month prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema. RESULTS: There is a tendency towards an increase in current symptoms for all three conditions and in both age groups, but more so among girls. Indices of diagnosis either remained the same or increased in parallel to the increase in symptoms. Indices of severity also showed a homogenous increase in the 5-year study period. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema are increasing, reflecting a change in the morbidity of these conditions in our population.

PMID: 12823113 [PubMed - in process]

Return to Vaccination News Home Page __» Right-click to "open in new window"

DISCLAIMER: All information, data, and material contained, presented, or provided here is for general information purposes only and is not to be construed as reflecting the knowledge or opinions of the publisher, and is not to be construed or intended as providing medical or legal advice. The decision whether or not to vaccinate is an important and complex issue and should be made by you, and you alone, in consultation with your health care provider.