Stabilization of asthma prevalence among adolescents and increase among schoolchildren (ISAAC phases I and III) in Spain.
BACKGROUND
Most studies show a steep increase in asthma prevalence in the last decades, although few studies had applied the same methodology. Recent reports point out the possibility that the epidemic has come to an end. We have studied the prevalence of asthma in a very large sample of children, repeating the study eight years apart.


METHODS
Repeated cross-sectional studies using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) protocol in a sample of Spanish schoolchildren 6-7 (parent-reported) and 13-14 (self-reported) years old in 1994-95 (phase I) and 2002-2003 (phase III). The number of participants was 42 417 in phase I and 42 813 in phase III. The participation rate was over 87% (13-14 years) and 70% (6-7 years).


RESULTS
The prevalence of wheezing in the previous year in children aged 13-14 years was 9.0 and 9.3% for boys and 9.6 and 9.2% for girls for phases I and III, respectively. Children 6-7 years of age showed a substantial increase in wheezing in the previous year (7.0 and 10.7% for boys and 5.3 and 8.2% for girls). Other symptoms and severity indexes followed the same patterns.


CONCLUSIONS
In the last 8 years, the prevalence of asthma has not changed in 13-14-year-old Spanish children but has increased substantially in 6-7-year olds.
García-Marcos
L
L
Cartagena Clinical & Research Unit and Department of Pediatrics, University of Murcia, Spain.
Quirós
A Blanco
AB
Hernández
G García
GG
Guillén-Grima
F
F
Díaz
C González
CG
Ureña
I Carvajal
IC
Pena
A Arnedo
AA
Monge
R Busquets
RB
Suárez-Varela
M Morales
MM
Varela
A López-Silvarrey
AL
Cabanillas
P Gómez
PG
Garrido
J Batlles
JB
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires