In this section
@article{Weinmayr:2006,
author = {Weinmayr, G and Rzehak, P and Büchele, G and Björkstén, B and Brunekreef, B and Cookson, WOC and Von, Mutius E and Strachan, DP and Weiland, SK},
journal = {Allergo Journal},
pages = {124--125},
title = {International variation in prevalence of asthma symptoms and atopic sensitization: Results from phase II of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC II)},
volume = {15},
year = {2006}
}
TY - JOUR
AB - Background: Atopy is generally considered to be an important risk factor for asthma. However, a literature analysis by Pearce et al. suggests that the role of atopy might have been overestimated in the past. The role of atopy in a wide range of study centers participating in ISAAC II was investigated. Methods: ISAAC II is a multicenter cross-sectional study investigating random samples of approximately 1,000 children per study center aged nine to eleven years according to the same standardized protocol. 29 study centers in 20 countries participated. Parents answered a detailed questionnaire on respiratory and atopic symptoms. In addition, skin prick tests were performed using six common inhalant allergens (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, cat, Alternaria tenuis, mixed tree pollen, mixed grass pollen). A skin prick test was defined positive, if the reaction to at least one allergen was ≥ 3 mm. Results: There was a large variation in the prevalence of wheeze in the past year ranging from < 1% in rural Ecuador and 3.3% in China to 22.2% in New Zealand and 26.3% in Brasil (Fig. 1). The prevalence of atopic wheeze, defined as wheeze plus a positive skin prick test, varied also largely between 0.1% in Ecuador and 13.4% in New Zealand, as did the prevalence of nonatopic wheeze from 0.5% in China to 20.9% in Brasil. The proportion of atopics varied strongly between centers and tended to be lower in low-income countries. Conclusion: The observed international pattern of asthma prevalence rates confirms findings of ISAAC phase I. Prevalence rates of wheeze were generally higher in high-income countries where they also tended to be more closely related to atopy. Further analyses of this relation are currently ongoing.
AU - Weinmayr,G
AU - Rzehak,P
AU - Büchele,G
AU - Björkstén,B
AU - Brunekreef,B
AU - Cookson,WOC
AU - Von,Mutius E
AU - Strachan,DP
AU - Weiland,SK
EP - 125
PY - 2006///
SN - 0941-8849
SP - 124
TI - International variation in prevalence of asthma symptoms and atopic sensitization: Results from phase II of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC II)
T2 - Allergo Journal
VL - 15
ER -
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