Asthma and allergy in young athletes in Siena Province. Preliminary results.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of asthma and related respiratory symptoms in a sample of the Siena pediatric population that engages in sport.


METHODS
The subjects were 460 young athletes, age 7-14 years, enrolled in 23 sporting clubs in 10 municipalities of Siena Province. Subjects and their parents answered a questionnaire on life style and the children underwent basal spirometric tests at their respective training centers.


RESULTS
A total of 352 questionnaires (76.6%) were returned; 80% of responders performed the spirometric test. The lifetime prevalences of asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis were found to be 17.33%, 22.16% and 11.08%, respectively. About 33.2% of subjects had also experienced symptoms compatible with exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) during sport and 4.2% of them had had to stop activity at least once.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that EIB is a major phenomenon in our province and that this disorder interferes with, or even limits, physical activity of young athletes.
Macucci
F
F
Section of Preventive Pediatrics and Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, Le Scotte Polyclinic, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. strambi@unisi.it
Guerrini
L
L
Strambi
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013147:Spirometry; D013177:Sports; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires