BACKGROUND: Little is known about factors determining the pathogenesis and severity of asthma in Latin American countries. Costa Rica, one of the most prosperous Latin American nations, has a very high asthma prevalence. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relation between potential risk factors and childhood asthma in Costa Rica. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 214 schoolchildren aged 10 to 13 years participating in phase II of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, gender, area of residence, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and airway responsiveness to hypertonic saline solution, sensitization to house dust mites was associated with asthma (odds ratio [OR], 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1 to 4.4; p = 0.02). In the multivariate analysis, parental education no higher than high school (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.4 to 6.4; p < 0.01) and parental history of asthma (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.3 to 5.2; p < 0.01) were also independent predictors of childhood asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Sensitization to house dust mites, low parental education, and parental history of asthma are associated with asthma in Costa Rica.
BACKGROUND: Little is known about factors determining the pathogenesis and severity of asthma in Latin American countries. Costa Rica, one of the most prosperous Latin American nations, has a very high asthma prevalence. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relation between potential risk factors and childhood asthma in Costa Rica. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 214 schoolchildren aged 10 to 13 years participating in phase II of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, gender, area of residence, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and airway responsiveness to hypertonicsaline solution, sensitization to house dust mites was associated with asthma (odds ratio [OR], 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1 to 4.4; p = 0.02). In the multivariate analysis, parental education no higher than high school (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.4 to 6.4; p < 0.01) and parental history of asthma (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.3 to 5.2; p < 0.01) were also independent predictors of childhood asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Sensitization to house dust mites, low parental education, and parental history of asthma are associated with asthma in Costa Rica.
Authors: Erick Forno; Anne Fuhlbrigge; Manuel E Soto-Quirós; Lydiana Avila; Benjamin A Raby; John Brehm; Jody M Sylvia; Scott T Weiss; Juan C Celedón Journal: Chest Date: 2010-05-14 Impact factor: 9.410
Authors: Juan C Celedón; Manuel E Soto-Quiros; Lydiana Avila; Stephen L Lake; Catherine Liang; Eduardo Fournier; Mitzi Spesny; Craig P Hersh; Jody S Sylvia; Thomas J Hudson; Andrei Verner; Barbara J Klanderman; Nelson B Freimer; Edwin K Silverman; Scott T Weiss Journal: Hum Genet Date: 2006-09-26 Impact factor: 4.132
Authors: Craig P Hersh; Manuel E Soto-Quirós; Lydiana Avila; Stephen L Lake; Catherine Liang; Eduardo Fournier; Mitzi Spesny; Jody S Sylvia; Ross Lazarus; Thomas Hudson; Andrei Verner; Barbara J Klanderman; Nelson B Freimer; Edwin K Silverman; Juan C Celedón Journal: Thorax Date: 2006-11-10 Impact factor: 9.139
Authors: Gary M Hunninghake; Jessica Lasky-Su; Manuel E Soto-Quirós; Lydiana Avila; Catherine Liang; Stephen L Lake; Thomas J Hudson; Mitzi Spesny; Eduardo Fournier; Jody S Sylvia; Nelson B Freimer; Barbara J Klanderman; Benjamin A Raby; Juan C Celedón Journal: Am J Respir Crit Care Med Date: 2008-01-31 Impact factor: 21.405