title: Symptoms and diagnosis of asthma in a general population &#x2013; longitudinal results from the SHIP database.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Against the background of an increasing prevalence of allergies, the epidemiology of asthma in relation to age is still a matter of debate. To further clarify the prevalence of asthma, asthmatic symptoms, and their change over time within a population sample, we analyzed longitudinal data from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Standardized questionnaires for asthma and asthmatic symptoms were available in 4310 individuals aged 20–79 years [corrected]. The population sample underwent a 5-year follow-up with 3300 subjects reexamined. The questionnaire evaluated estimates to describe the prevalence in wheeze, chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing, nocturnal symptoms, and asthma attacks in the past 12 months, current medications, current asthma, and nasal allergies at baseline and its longitudinal net change.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of current asthma at the baseline study was 1.8% [95% confidence interval (CI 1.4–2.2)], those of nasal allergies 16.7% (95% CI 15.6–17.9). Sixteen percent of asthmatic individuals were not medically treated. The net changes in asthmatic symptoms per 60 months of follow-up ranged between a decrease by 2.0% (chest tightness at night) and an increase by 1.2% (nocturnal attack of coughing). The proportions of subjects with current asthma remained unchanged. The prevalence of current asthma and symptoms was higher in young individuals, whereas the net change over time was slightly increasing at the age of 36 and above.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the fact of a high prevalence of subjects complaining of nasal allergies, the overall prevalence of current asthma remained low over time. The prevalence in asthma and asthmatic symptoms as well as its net changes over 5 years were age dependent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine B – Cardiology, Intensive Care, Pulmonary Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany. christoph.schaeper@gmail.com
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schäper
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gläser
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Obst
authors.forename: Carsten O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völzke
authors.forename: Stephan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ewert
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult