SummaryBackground: During the latter half of the 20th century, the prevalence of asthma and many other allergic diseases has increased. Information on asthma prevalence trends among adults after 2010, especially regarding studies separating allergic asthma from non-allergic asthma, is lacking.Objective: The aim was to estimate prevalence trends of current asthma among adults, both allergic and non-allergic, from 1996 to 2016. while the prevalence of non-allergic asthma remained stable around 3.4%-3.8%. The increase in current asthma was most pronounced among women and among the middle-aged. Physician-diagnosed asthma, asthma medication use and ARC also increased significantly, while the prevalence of symptoms common in asthma such as wheeze and attacks of shortness of breath decreased slightly or was stable. The prevalence of current smoking decreased from 27.4% in 1996 to 12.3% in 2016. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance:The prevalence of allergic asthma increased from 1996 to 2006 and further to 2016, while the prevalence of non-allergic asthma remained on a stable prevalence level. The prevalence of symptoms common in asthma decreased slightly or was stable despite a substantial decrease in the prevalence of current smoking. Clinicians should be aware that the previously observed increase in prevalence of allergic asthma is still ongoing.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To date, a limited number of population-based studies have prospectively evaluated the remission of childhood asthma. This work was intended to study the remission and persistence of childhood asthma and related factors. METHODS: In 1996, a questionnaire was distributed to the parents of all children aged 7 to 8 years in 3 municipalities in northern Sweden, and 3430 (97%) participated. After a validation study, 248 children were identified as having asthma; these children were reassessed annually until age 19 years when 205 (83%) remained. During the follow-up period lung function, bronchial challenge testing, and skin prick tests were performed. Remission was defined as no use of asthma medication and no wheeze during the past 12 months as reported at endpoint and in the 2 annual surveys preceding endpoint (ie, for ≥3 years). RESULTS: At age 19 years, 21% were in remission, 38% had periodic asthma, and 41% persistent asthma. Remission was more common among boys. Sensitization to furred animals and a more severe asthma (asthma score ≥2) at age 7 to 8 years were both inversely associated with remission, odds ratio 0.14 (95% confidence interval 0.04–0.55) and 0.19 (0.07–0.54), respectively. Among children with these 2 characteristics, 82% had persistent asthma during adolescence. Asthma heredity, damp housing, rural living, and smoking were not associated with remission. CONCLUSIONS: The probability of remission of childhood asthma from age 7- to 8-years to age 19 years was largely determined by sensitization status, particularly sensitization to animals, asthma severity, and female gender, factors all inversely related to remission.

PurposeTo describe the self-reported ambient cold exposure in northern Sweden and to relate the level of cumulative cold exposure to the occurrence of sensory and vascular hand symptoms. We hypothesize that cold exposure is positively related to reporting such symptoms.MethodsA questionnaire about cold exposure and related symptoms was sent out to 35,144 subjects aged 18–70 years and living in northern Sweden.ResultsA total of 12,627 out of 35,144 subjects returned the questionnaire (response rate 35.9%). Subjects living in the rural alpine areas reported more extensive cold exposure both during work and leisure time compared to the urbanized coastal regions. Frostbite in the hands was present in 11.4% of men and 7.1% of women, cold sensitivity was present in 9.7 and 14.4%, and Raynaud’s phenomenon was present in 11.0% of men and 14.0% of women. There was a positive association between cumulative cold exposure and neurovascular hand symptoms.ConclusionThe present study demonstrates that the cold environment in northern Sweden might be an underestimated health risk. Our hypothesis that cold exposure is positively related to reporting of neurovascular hand symptoms was supported by our findings. In addition, such symptoms were common not only in conjunction with an overt cold injury. Our results warrant further study on pathophysiological mechanisms and suggest the need for confirmatory prevalence studies to support national public health planning.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00420-017-1221-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.