Exercise-induced asthma in adolescent gym class population.
The prevalence of exercise-induced asthma (EIA) was determined in a population of 12- and 13-year-old schoolchildren whose parents returned a questionnaire regarding a previous diagnosis of asthma, recent asthmatic symptoms and symptoms of allergic rhinitis. EIA was defined as a greater than 15% fall in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) following 6 min of free running in a gymnasium. Among the 201 children studied, 18 (8.9%) demonstrated EIA. Of 21 children with symptomatic asthma in the 6 months prior to study, 9 (43%) developed EIA compared to none of 6 children with asymptomatic asthma (p less than 0.0001). Among 48 children with a history of allergic rhinitis alone, 7 (14.6%) demonstrated EIA. The mean postexercise changes in PEFR were 14.9% for 16 children with both asthma and allergic rhinitis, 6.4% among 48 children with allergic rhinitis only, and 1.8% among 125 normal children. Recent symptoms of asthma and a history of allergic rhinitis appeared to be risk factors for EIA. EIA was readily demonstrated in a gym class setting; the use of such screening may facilitate its diagnosis and treatment.
Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
R P
RP
Bransford
G M
GM
McNutt
J N
JN
Fink
D000293:Adolescent; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008448:Maximal Expiratory Flow Rate; D015995:Prevalence; D012420:Running