title: [Prevalence of bronchial asthma in childhood in Switzerland: significance of symptoms and diagnosis].
abstract: The prevalence of bronchial asthma has been studied prospectively for the first time in Swiss children. In August 1990 approximately 4900 children were issued with questionnaires to be completed by parents. Overall response rate was 85% and data of 4156 children were available for further analysis. The 12 month period prevalence for wheeze and/or asthma was 9.1% (boys 10.2%, girls 7.8%; p = 0.005). The lifetime prevalence of wheeze in this survey was 16.5%. Overall, only 34% of those reporting wheeze also reported a history of bronchial asthma. Nighttime symptoms such as irritant cough, tightness in the chest and wheezing were reported significantly more often in households with smokers than in families without smokers (p = 0.025). Living in a metropolitan area seems to be a risk factor for asthma symptoms at night when compared with families living in the country (p = 0.005). The current prevalence of asthmatic symptoms in Swiss children is a high as reported in other countries of the northern hemisphere. Our data disclosed a substantial proportion of underdiagnosis of asthma in Swiss children. We speculate that underdiagnosis is a risk factor for undertreatment of childhood asthma.
authors.affiliation: Pädiatrische Pneumologie, Ostschweizerisches Kinderspital St. Gallen.
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Sennhauser
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Güntert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
vernacular_title: Prävalenz des Asthma bronchiale im Kindesalter in der Schweiz: Die Bedeutung von Symptomatik und Diagnose.