Prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis and atopic eczema among students between 6 and 7 years of age in the city of Londrina, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis and atopic eczema among students between 6 and 7 years of age in the city of Londrina, Brazil.


METHODS
A population-based study using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) standardized questionnaire (asthma, rhinitis and atopic eczema modules), validated for use in Brazil, in public school students between 6 and 7 years of age.


RESULTS
Of the 3,963 questionnaires retrieved, 3,600 (90.8%) were appropriately completed and were used in the analysis. The prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis and atopic eczema in the last 12 months was 22.0%, 27.3% and 9.6%, respectively. The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma, rhinitis and atopic eczema was 10.4%, 23.4% and 11.4%, respectively. The prevalence of rhinoconjunctivitis and flexural eczema was 13.6% and 6.6%, respectively. Although symptoms of asthma and rhinitis were more common in males than in females, no gender difference was found regarding atopic eczema symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis and atopic eczema in our sample was within the range found at the facilities that participated in phases I and III of the ISAAC in Brazil. The low prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma suggests that asthma continues to be underdiagnosed.
Castro
Luci Keiko Kuromoto de
LK
Londrina Municipal Health Department, Londrina, Brazil.
Cerci Neto
Alcindo
A
Ferreira Filho
Olavo Franco
OF
D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000453:epidemiology; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards