Respiratory Symptoms, Allergies, and Environmental Exposures in Children with and without Asthma

Abstract

Background: Epidemiological data concerning the level of asthma morbidity indicate that in Poland, asthma is diagnosed in 5–10% of the pediatric population. Aim The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and allergies in a group of children with and without asthma and to evaluate the association between exposure to environmental factors and the prevalence of bronchial asthma in a pediatric population. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a group of 995 children attending primary schools in the province of Silesia in 2018–2019. The research tool was an anonymous questionnaire developed based on the form used in The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Children’s health status, the prevalence of bronchial asthma, and the performance of allergic skin tests were assessed based on parents’ indications in a questionnaire. Environmental exposures such as mold and dampness in apartments or ETS were similarly assessed. Analyses were performed using Statistica 13.0; p < 0.05. Results: A total of 88 subjects (8.8%) suffered from bronchial asthma. Parents of children with asthma, compared to parents of children without the disease, were more likely to rate their children’s health as rather good (43.2% vs. 38.0%) or average (21.6% vs. 3.1%). All analyzed respiratory symptoms, as well as allergies, were statistically more frequent in children with bronchial asthma. Conclusions: The parent’s subjective assessment of the child’s health varied significantly according to the asthma diagnosis. Asthma is also associated with other diseases: allergic reactions to pollen, house dust, hay fever, and AD (atopic dermatitis) were statistically significantly more frequent among children diagnosed with bronchial asthma.

Childhood asthma biomarkers including zinc: An exploratory cross-sectional study

“…The diagnosis of BA was considered using the medical history, family history, clinical examination, and symptoms including episodic dyspnea, coughing, wheezing, and tightness in the chest, as well as laboratory findings. The results of pulmonary function tests allowed for the confirmation of the diagnosis of BA and a determination of the severity and reversibility of airflow restriction[ 7 , 8 ]. Malnutrition was defined using World Health Organization definitions[ 9 - 12 ].…”

Progress in diagnosis and treatment of difficult-to-treat asthma in children

“… 89 Particularly when combined with viral illnesses and high levels of air pollution, persistent exposure to the suspected allergens can cause poorly managed asthma. 90 Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the chance of an exacerbation is correlated with allergen dose. 91 Therefore, for children with DA, it is important to systematically assess allergen exposure.…”

Social Inequalities: Do They Matter in Asthma, Bronchitis, and Respiratory Symptoms in Children?

“…They are related to environmental factors and are most often analyzed together. It is estimated that asthma may affect about 10% of children in Poland, but its prevalence may vary depending on environmental or social factors [ 8 ]. The cohort study ECAP (Epidemiology of allergic diseases in Poland) confirms the incidence of this disease in the pediatric population aged 6–7 years at the level of 4.4% among children living in urban areas and 3.9% living in rural areas [ 9 , 10 ].…”

“…To the best of our knowledge, no studies have been conducted in Poland to date on the social inequalities in asthma. Most studies have focused on the socioeconomic and environmental determinants of this disease [ 8 , 13 , 14 ]. However, simple analyses of the socioeconomic and environmental determinants of bronchial asthma do not fully explain the significance of social inequalities in this disease, but only indicate its social variation.…”

“…In our earlier work, we compared the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and allergies in a group of children with and without asthma but also pointed out the variation in the prevalence of this disease depending on environmental conditions [ 8 ]. However, we did not analyze socioeconomic factors, and these are mainly responsible for the occurrence of social inequalities.…”