title: Exercise-induced dyspnea is a problem among the general adolescent population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Respiratory symptoms during exercise are common and might limit adolescents' ability to take part in physical activity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence, determinants and consequences of exercise-induced dyspnea (EID) on daily life in a general population of 12-13 year old adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A letter was sent to the parents of all 12-13 year old adolescents in the city of Uppsala (n = 3838). Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire together with their child on EID, asthma and allergy, consequences for daily life (wheeze, day time- and nocturnal dyspnea) and physical activity. The response rate was 60% (n = 2309).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen percent (n = 330) reported EID, i.e. had experienced an attack of shortness of breath that occurred after strenuous activity within the last 12 months. Female gender, ever-asthma and rhinitis were independently associated with an increased risk of EID. Ever-asthma was reported by 14.6% (n = 338), and 5.4% (n = 128) had both EID and ever-asthma. Sixty-one percent (n = 202) of the participants with EID did not have a diagnosis of asthma. In addition to rhinitis, participants with EID reported current wheeze and day-time as well as nocturnal dyspnea more often than the group without EID. No difference was found in the level of physical activity between participants with and without EID.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adolescents with undiagnosed exercise-induced dyspnea have respiratory symptoms and are affected in daily life but have the same level of physical activity as adolescents without exercise-induced respiratory symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: henrik.johansson@neuro.uu.se.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Department of Surgical Science, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Norlander
authors.affiliation: Clinical Physiology, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hedenström
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Janson
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Department of Surgical Science, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nordang
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nordvall
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emtner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adolescents; Asthma; Exercise; Exercise-induced dyspnea; Questionnaire