OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of asthma among adolescents (13-14 years of age) in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving 3,015 adolescents at public and private schools between 2006 and 2007. The participants completed the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalences of 'wheezing ever', 'wheezing within the last 12 months' (active asthma) and 'asthma ever' (physician-diagnosed asthma) were 44.1%, 22.6% and 11.6%, respectively. The prevalences of 'wheezing ever' (p = 0.001), '1-3 wheezing attacks within the last 12 months' (p = 0.001), active asthma (p = 0.002), 'sleep disturbed due to wheezing less than one night per week' (p < 0.001) and 'dry cough at night' (p < 0.001) were higher among girls. Private school students presented higher prevalences of 'wheezing ever', active asthma, '1-3 wheezing attacks within the last 12 months', '4-12 wheezing attacks within the last 12 months' and physician-diagnosed asthma (p < 0.001 for all), as well as of 'exercise-induced wheezing' (p = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of asthma and asthma-related symptoms in students aged 13-14 years in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil, was high, predominantly among girls and private school students. The difference between the prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma and that of active asthma suggests that asthma was underdiagnosed in the population studied.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of asthma among adolescents (13-14 years of age) in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving 3,015 adolescents at public and private schools between 2006 and 2007. The participants completed the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalences of 'wheezing ever', 'wheezing within the last 12 months' (active asthma) and 'asthma ever' (physician-diagnosed asthma) were 44.1%, 22.6% and 11.6%, respectively. The prevalences of 'wheezing ever' (p = 0.001), '1-3 wheezing attacks within the last 12 months' (p = 0.001), active asthma (p = 0.002), 'sleep disturbed due to wheezing less than one night per week' (p < 0.001) and 'dry cough at night' (p < 0.001) were higher among girls. Private school students presented higher prevalences of 'wheezing ever', active asthma, '1-3 wheezing attacks within the last 12 months', '4-12 wheezing attacks within the last 12 months' and physician-diagnosed asthma (p < 0.001 for all), as well as of 'exercise-induced wheezing' (p = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of asthma and asthma-related symptoms in students aged 13-14 years in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil, was high, predominantly among girls and private school students. The difference between the prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma and that of active asthma suggests that asthma was underdiagnosed in the population studied.
Authors: Maria de Fátima Gomes de Luna; Gilberto Bueno Fischer; João Rafael Gomes de Luna; Marcelo Gurgel Carlos da Silva; Paulo César de Almeida; Daniela Chiesa Journal: J Bras Pneumol Date: 2013 Mar-Apr Impact factor: 2.624