A longitudinal study of changes in respiratory status in young adults, 1993-2001.
METHODS
There is little information regarding the prognosis of respiratory symptoms in early adulthood or the effects of potential risk factors.


OBJECTIVE
To observe changing respiratory morbidity in a group of young adults over a period of 6-8 years.


METHODS
Subjects responding to three or more consecutive postal respiratory surveys carried out between 1993 and 2001 were included in the study. In addition to asthma (defined by a validated scoring system), two symptoms were examined: wheeze and being woken by cough. Five outcomes were defined: persistent, remission, new onset, never and intermittent.


RESULTS
Of 2693 subjects who responded to at least one survey, about one third were eligible for inclusion: 10.2% reported wheeze at each survey (persistent) and 3.6% had persistent asthma. Persistent wheeze was seen in almost half (46.7%) of those reporting the symptom at their first survey. The corresponding figure for asthma was 32%. New onset wheeze was found in 16.2% of subjects without wheeze at baseline (asthma 9.7%). Smoking was significantly associated with new onset wheeze (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.30-3.00) and asthma (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.26-3.50), but not with persistent symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings highlight the importance of policies to reduce smoking prevalence in young adults, and will help in the planning of future health care.
Frank
P I
PI
General Practice Research Unit, North West Lung Research Centre, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, UK. gpresearchunit@yahoo.co.uk
Hazell
M L
ML
Morris
J A
JA
Linehan
M F
MF
Frank
T L
TL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires