BACKGROUND: Childhood is the most important time for asthma development. The aims of this study were to study changes in prevalence of asthma and wheeze, remission of asthma and changes in risk factor pattern from age 7-8 to age 11-12 in a cohort of school children. METHODS: In 1996, 3525 children aged 7-8 years in northern Sweden were invited to participate in a parental expanded ISAAC questionnaire survey. The cohort has been followed prospectively with yearly follow-ups to age 11-12, with a 97% yearly response rate. Skin prick tests were conducted at age 7-8 and 11-12. RESULTS: The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma increased from 5.7% at age 7-8 to 7.7% at age 11-12. Life-time prevalence of wheeze was 34.7% at age 11-12. The remission of asthma was 10% yearly and inversely related to allergic sensitization. Relapses were common, and remission persisting throughout the observation period was 5% yearly. Allergic sensitization was associated with current asthma at age 7-8 [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 4.9 (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.3-7.3)] and when the children were 4 years older [OR 5.6 (3.9-8.2)]. A family history of asthma was associated with current asthma at age 7-8 [OR 3.0 (2.1-4.5)] and 11-12 (OR 2.8 [2.0-3.9]). Ever having lived with a cat was significantly negatively associated with current asthma. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of asthma increased continuously during the primary school ages. Among several significant risk factors, allergic sensitization and a family history of asthma were the most important. With increasing age many known risk factors lost significance. Remission was inversely related to allergic sensitization.
BACKGROUND: Childhood is the most important time for asthma development. The aims of this study were to study changes in prevalence of asthma and wheeze, remission of asthma and changes in risk factor pattern from age 7-8 to age 11-12 in a cohort of school children. METHODS: In 1996, 3525 children aged 7-8 years in northern Sweden were invited to participate in a parental expanded ISAAC questionnaire survey. The cohort has been followed prospectively with yearly follow-ups to age 11-12, with a 97% yearly response rate. Skin prick tests were conducted at age 7-8 and 11-12. RESULTS: The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma increased from 5.7% at age 7-8 to 7.7% at age 11-12. Life-time prevalence of wheeze was 34.7% at age 11-12. The remission of asthma was 10% yearly and inversely related to allergic sensitization. Relapses were common, and remission persisting throughout the observation period was 5% yearly. Allergic sensitization was associated with current asthma at age 7-8 [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 4.9 (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.3-7.3)] and when the children were 4 years older [OR 5.6 (3.9-8.2)]. A family history of asthma was associated with current asthma at age 7-8 [OR 3.0 (2.1-4.5)] and 11-12 (OR 2.8 [2.0-3.9]). Ever having lived with a cat was significantly negatively associated with current asthma. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of asthma increased continuously during the primary school ages. Among several significant risk factors, allergic sensitization and a family history of asthma were the most important. With increasing age many known risk factors lost significance. Remission was inversely related to allergic sensitization.
Authors: Scott P Commins; Libby A Kelly; Eva Rönmark; Hayley R James; Shawna L Pochan; Edward J Peters; Bo Lundbäck; Lucy W Nganga; Philip J Cooper; Janelle M Hoskins; Saju S Eapen; Luis A Matos; Dane C McBride; Peter W Heymann; Judith A Woodfolk; Matthew S Perzanowski; Thomas A E Platts-Mills Journal: Am J Respir Crit Care Med Date: 2012-01-26 Impact factor: 21.405
Authors: Stephen T Holgate; Hasan S Arshad; Graham C Roberts; Peter H Howarth; Philipp Thurner; Donna E Davies Journal: Clin Sci (Lond) Date: 2009-12-23 Impact factor: 6.124
Authors: Eva Rönmark; Anders Bjerg; Matthew Perzanowski; Thomas Platts-Mills; Bo Lundbäck Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2009-07-03 Impact factor: 10.793
Authors: Liang Fu; Robert J Freishtat; Heather Gordish-Dressman; Stephen J Teach; Lorenzo Resca; Eric P Hoffman; Zuyi Wang Journal: Ann Am Thorac Soc Date: 2014-07
Authors: Shawn D Aaron; Katherine L Vandemheen; Louis-Philippe Boulet; R Andrew McIvor; J Mark Fitzgerald; Paul Hernandez; Catherine Lemiere; Sat Sharma; Stephen K Field; Gonzalo G Alvarez; Robert E Dales; Steve Doucette; Dean Fergusson Journal: CMAJ Date: 2008-11-18 Impact factor: 8.262
Authors: Matthew S Perzanowski; Eva Ronmark; Hayley R James; Linnea Hedman; Alexander J Schuyler; Anders Bjerg; Bo Lundback; Thomas A E Platts-Mills Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2016-06-11 Impact factor: 14.290
Authors: Mohammad Shahidul Islam; Samin Huq; Salahuddin Ahmed; Sudipto Roy; Jürgen Schwarze; Aziz Sheikh; Samir K Saha; Steve Cunningham; Harish Nair Journal: J Glob Health Date: 2021-07-17 Impact factor: 4.413