title: [Epidemiology and costs of asthma in Germany - a systematic literature review].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence and incidence as well as the health care costs of asthma specifically in the German setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two systematic literature searches were conducted in PubMed in December 2012 (updated in March 2014). All publications in German and English were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After review of title, abstracts and full publications, 17 relevant studies included information on the prevalence and incidence of asthma. The 12-month prevalence for adults ranges between 4.6 % and 6.34 % (children: 3.8 % - 11.8 %). At younger ages, asthma is more prevalent in boys. In adulthood, more women are affected. We identified seven cost-of-illness studies. The direct costs range between € 690.4 m and 1.36 bn. The reported health care costs depend on the perspective, the severity of disease and the database, so that a comparison of results is difficult.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All in all, this review underlines the epidemiological and health economic importance of asthma in Germany. Several studies on the prevalence of asthma are available, but there is little information on the current incidence of this disease. Further research is necessary for obtaining a comprehensive picture of the current health care costs.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Economics Research Hannover (CHERH), Leibniz Universität Hannover.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aumann
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Economics Research Hannover (CHERH), Leibniz Universität Hannover.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prenzler
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Pneumologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Welte
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Lungen- und Bronchialmedizin, Klinikum Kassel, Kassel School of Medicine.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gillissen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult