title: Prevalence of asthma and comorbid allergy symptoms in Singaporean preschoolers.
abstract: The cross-sectional prevalence of wheeze, rhinitis and eczema in 7,549 randomly selected Singaporean preschoolers aged 4 to 6 years old is reported in this study. Cumulative and past 12 months ('current') prevalence of wheeze was 27.5% and 16.0%, respectively. 'Asthma' was reported by 11.7%. Current rhinitis prevalence was 25.3% and rhinoconjunctivitis, 7.6%. Current chronic rash affected 13.5% of subjects while 9.9% reported chronic rash with flexural distribution. After multivariate analysis, the main risk factors for 'current wheeze' and self-reported asthma, respectively, were family history of allergy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.22 [2.79-3.71], aOR 3.93 [3.34-4.63]); concurrent rhinoconjunctivitis (aOR 4.04 [3.31-4.92], aOR 3.02 [2.43-3.76]); concurrent chronic flexural rash (aOR 2.56 [2.13-3.08], aOR 2.95 [2.41-3.62]) and previous respiratory infection (aOR 4.80 [4.17-5.53], aOR 3.28 [2.80-3.85]). Thus, these allergy-associated symptoms already affect a considerable portion of children by the preschool years, supporting the need for allergy education and intervention program in this age group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, National University of Singapore.
authors.forename: Teng Nging
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Lynette P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Shek
authors.forename: Daniel Y T
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.forename: Fook Tim
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Bee Wah
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D015995:Prevalence; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology