title: The effect of oral contraceptives on current wheezing in young women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Emerging evidence suggests that sex steroid hormones may influence respiratory symptoms. The existing literature about the role of oral contraceptive pill (OCP) on respiratory disease is scarce and conflicting especially during the adolescent period. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of OCPs on current wheezing among adolescents and young adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was administered face-to-face to adolescents and young women by a physician. The questionnaire included ISAAC survey-comprised questions on ever wheezing, current wheezing, allergic diseases, smoking history (active or passive), and family history of allergic diseases and questions on OCP usage status. The effect of OCPs on wheezing was evaluated by logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 487 subjects aged between 11.3 and 25.6years participated in the study and 196 (40.2%) reported that they had used OCPs. 7.4% of the participants had physician-diagnosed asthma and 10.3% of them were active smokers. It was detected that OCPs were associated with increased risk for current wheezing (odds ratio, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.25-4.47 adjusted for asthma and current smoker) and this risk was related with the usage during the past year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young women taking oral contraceptives had a higher rate of current wheezing, suggesting that sex steroids may be of importance for respiratory health.
authors.affiliation: Ankara Children's Hematology Oncology Education and Research Hospital, Department of Pediatric Allergy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erkoçoğlu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Azkur
authors.forename: Ş
authors.initials: Ş
authors.lastname: Özyer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Özcan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beşli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Civelek
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Kocabaş
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology*; D012306:Risk; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution