title: Epidemiological diagnosis of asthma: methodological considerations of prevalence evaluation.
abstract: Within an epidemiological survey on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, before reporting data on the prevalence of bronchial asthma we checked the group of subjects defined as "pathological" by means of a suitable questionnaire and a group of "normals" as a control. We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the questionnaire, in comparison with a clinical evaluation made by two physicians and controlled the relationship among their results, non-specific bronchial hyperreactivity and skin tests. In particular the correspondence between diagnosis made by physicians from a clinical evaluation and that obtained by questionnaire was not satisfactory. We suggest the importance of employing physicians for an epidemiological approach to asthma, in absence of a valid objective criterion.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cerveri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bruschi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zocchi
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Zoia
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rampulla
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D008688:Methacholine Compounds; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012882:Skin Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D008688:Methacholine Compounds; D016210:Methacholine Chloride