Asthma hospitalizations continue to decrease in schoolchildren but hospitalization rates for wheezing illnesses remain high in young children.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse changes in hospitalization rates for asthma in children during recent years.


METHODS
In a population-based analysis, changes in asthma hospitalization rates were studied in children in Göteborg (Gothenburg), the second largest city in Sweden, during 1985-2000. The changes in different age groups have been correlated with the delivery of inhaled corticosteroids to the age groups.


RESULTS
In the 5 to 18-y age group, there was a continuous, significant decrease in number of hospital days, admissions and individual patients admitted for asthma not only for the entire study period, 1985-2000, but also during the past 10-y period. The number of hospital days in the year 2000 was only 6% of the figure for 1985. An inverse correlation between delivery of inhaled corticosteroids and hospitalization for asthma was seen not only during 1985-1995, when use of inhaled corticosteroids became widespread (r(s) = -0.95, p = 0.007 for hospital days), but also when the entire period from 1985 to 2000 was analysed. Conversely, in the 0 to 1-y and 2 to 4-y age groups, there was no decrease in hospitalizations for wheezing illnesses or asthma-like symptoms during the past 10-y period, 1991-2000.


CONCLUSIONS
During the period 1985-2000 the number of hospital days owing to asthma decreased by more than 90% in the 5 to 18-y age group. The marked decrease in asthma hospitalization rates among schoolchildren represents a great advance in paediatric respiratory medicine, which has been continuous during the past 10-y period. However, in young children admissions for wheezing have apparently not decreased.
Wennergren
G
G
Department of Paediatrics, Göteborg University, Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. goran.wennergren@pediat.gu.se
Strannegård
I L
IL
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D005938:Glucocorticoids