Continued increase in the prevalence of asthma and atopy

Abstract

Aims-To describe the change in the prevalence of wheeze, diagnosed asthma, and atopy in Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia, between 1992 and 1997, and to compare this to the increase in prevalence reported between 1982 and 1992. Methods-A cross sectional study of the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and atopy in schoolchildren aged 8-11 years (n = 1016, response rate 71%) in 1997 compared with studies of similar design in 1992 (response rate 83%, n = 850) and 1982 (response rate 88%, n = 769). Main outcome measures were respiratory symptoms measured by parent completed questionnaire and atopy measured by skin prick tests. Results-Between 1992 and 1997, the prevalence of wheeze increased by 5.1% (95% CI 1.2 to 9.0), asthma diagnosis by 8.1% (95% CI 3.8 to 12.4), and atopy by 6.7% (95% CI 2.2 to 11.2). Similar increases in prevalence had been found between 1982 and 1992. Conclusions-The prevalence of wheeze, asthma diagnosis, and atopy in Wagga Wagga has continued to increase.

No further increase in asthma, hay fever and atopic sensitisation in adolescents living in Switzerland

“…In Australia [13], sensitisation rates measured by skin-prick test increased from 38.7% in 1992 to 45.4% in 1997 and were paralleled by an increase in asthma symptoms and medication use but not in hay fever and nasal allergies. A questionnaire survey in preschoolchildren from Leister, UK, assessing wheezing disorders in 1990 and in 1998 found a doubling in reported prevalence of wheeze, doctor diagnosed asthma, and healthcare use, which was not explained by over-reporting of mild symptoms or diagnostic transfer [12].…”

“…An appealing interpretation to the observed stabilisation in the prevalence of asthma and allergy is that the maximal genetic potential for a gene by environment interaction underlying the development of the disease has been reached. However, this is purely speculative, as the genetic potential for asthma and atopy of a given population is unknown and data from Australia indicate that higher sensitisation rates than those in Switzerland may be reached [13]. Alternatively, it may be hypothesised that exposure to environmental factors, summarised as "Western lifestyle", intensified predominantly during the fifties and sixties and remained fairly constant during more recent years, thus no longer influencing the time trend of asthma and allergies in cohorts born in the eighties.…”

“…An Italian study of schoolchildren [11] reported no further increase in physician-diagnosed asthma and parent-reported attacks of breathlessness between 1992 and 1998. However, two recent studies in preschoolchildren [12] and primary schoolchildren [13] showed a strong continuing growth in the prevalence of asthma during the 1990s.…”

Incorporating a gender dimension in food allergy research: a review

“…Allergy is a multifactorial disease that has a significant impact on society. An increase in the prevalence of asthma and allergy during the last two decades is documented for both children (8) and adults (9). The data for food allergy are less clear, in part because there is some confusion between the prevalence of diagnosed and perceived food allergy (10), although there appears to have been a real increase in rates of hospital discharge diagnosis of the condition (11).…”

The PREVASC study: the clinical effect of a multifaceted educational intervention to prevent childhood asthma

“…As the prevalence of asthma is still increasing [4][5][6][7][8], much attention is being directed towards the possibilities for primary prevention. It is generally agreed that asthma is a multifactorial disease, which develops in very early life or even in the uterus [9][10][11][12].…”