title: Allergic rhinitis and associated factors in schoolchildren from Bogota, Colombia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic rhinitis is one of the most frequent chronic diseases among children. The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of and the factors associated with self-reported allergic rhinitis symptoms in schoolchildren from Bogota, Colombia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We followed the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) methodology. Our sample included 3,256 children aged 6 - 7 and 3,830 adolescents aged 13 - 14 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of self-reported allergic rhinitis symptoms was 30.8% among children and 36.6% among adolescents. Factors associated with self-reported allergic rhinitis among children included current asthma and atopic dermatitis symptoms; use of acetaminophen in the first year of life and in the last 12 months; antibiotic use in the first year of life; high- school and university maternal education; smokers at home; and caesarean delivery. Among adolescents, associated factors included current asthma and atopic dermatitis symptoms; current acetaminophen use once per month; frequent fast-food consumption; cat exposure at home; and smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further exploration of factors associated with allergic rhinitis symptoms is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorrinolaringology, Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota, Bogota, Colombia. augpenar@gmail.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Penaranda
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aristizabal
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vasquez
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Martinez
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Satizabal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data