Obstructive airways diseases, smoking and use of inhaled corticosteroids in southern Sweden in 1992 and 2000.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the prevalence of obstructive pulmonary diseases, respiratory symptoms, smoking habits and pulmonary medication in an adult population, and to compare the results with a study performed in the same geographical area in 1992.


METHODS
In 2000, a postal questionnaire was sent to a randomly selected population of 5179 subjects aged 20-59 years living in southern Sweden.


RESULTS
The participation rate was 71.3%. Self-reported asthma was reported by 8.5% of all respondents (vs. 5.5% in 1992, P < 0.001) and 14.5% of females aged 20-29 years. Self-reported chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (CBE/COPD) was reported by 3.6% (vs. 4.6% in 1992, non-significant) with the highest prevalence (5.7%) in the 50-59 year cohort. Smoking decreased from 33.3% in 1992 to 28.4% in 2000 (P < 0.05). About 46% of asthmatics reported nocturnal respiratory symptoms, and 69% reported having had asthma symptoms in the last 12 months. Use of inhaled steroids increased in subjects with asthma and CBE/COPD from 19.4% to 36.5% (P < 0.05) and from 8.6% to 30.0% (P < 0.05), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-reported asthma increased significantly between 1992 and 2000, but the prevalence of CBE/COPD was unchanged. The high proportion of reported symptoms in asthmatics despite an increased use of steroids suggests that further efforts are needed to improve asthma treatment.
Montnémery
R
R
Department of Health Sciences, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. peter.montnemery@smi.mas.lu.se
Nihlén
U
U
Andersson
M
M
Greiff
L
L
Johannisson
A
A
Nyberg
P
P
Persson
C G A
CG
Löfdahl
C G
CG
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones