Asthma and respiratory symptoms in 6-7 yr old Italian children: gender, latitude, urbanization and socioeconomic factors. SIDRIA (Italian Studies on Respiratory Disorders in Childhood and the Environment)

Little information is available on the epidemiology of childhood respiratory disorders in Southern Europe. We investigated the prevalence of asthma and respiratory symptoms in a large sample of schoolchildren, according to gender, latitude, urbanization, and socioeconomic status. Questionnaires including the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) core module on wheeze, as well as questions about other respiratory symptoms (including cough and phlegm), were completed by the parents of 18,737 schoolchildren aged 6-7 yrs, from eight centres of northern and central Italy. Wheeze in the last 12 months was reported for 9% of males and 6% of females, and severe wheezing attacks for 1.4 and 0.8%, respectively. Asthma during lifetime was reported for 11% of males and 6.4% of females. The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma increased with level of urbanization, but reported wheezing did not, suggesting a labelling bias. Socioeconomic status was not associated with the prevalence of most wheezing symptoms or of physician-diagnosed asthma, but was negatively correlated with the number of hospital admissions because of asthma. Unlike wheezing symptoms, the prevalence of chronic cough and phlegm was associated with increasing urbanization and decreasing socioeconomic level. Urbanization and socioeconomic level have little effect on the prevalence of wheezing in this area, but they might influence the diagnosis and the management of asthma, as well as the prevalence of chronic cough and chronic phlegm.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G Cesaroni, C Badaloni, D Porta, F Forastiere, and C A Perucci Comparison between various indices of exposure to traffic-related air pollution and their impact on respiratory health in adults Occup. Environ. Med., October 1, 2008; 65(10): 683 - 690. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. O.M. Van De Ven, R. J.J.M. Van Den Eijnden, and R. C.M.E. Engels Atopic diseases and related risk factors among Dutch adolescents Eur J Public Health, October 1, 2006; 16(5): 549 - 558. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S Farchi, F Forastiere, G Cesaroni, and C A Perucci Environmental exposures and hospitalisation for respiratory conditions in children: a five year follow up study in Rome, Italy Occup. Environ. Med., August 1, 2006; 63(8): 573 - 576. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M Simoni, E Lombardi, G Berti, F Rusconi, S La Grutta, S Piffer, M G Petronio, C Galassi, F Forastiere, G Viegi, et al. Mould/dampness exposure at home is associated with respiratory disorders in Italian children and adolescents: the SIDRIA-2 Study Occup. Environ. Med., September 1, 2005; 62(9): 616 - 622. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. J. Mandhane, J. M. Greene, J. O. Cowan, D. R. Taylor, and M. R. Sears Sex Differences in Factors Associated with Childhood- and Adolescent-Onset Wheeze Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., July 1, 2005; 172(1): 45 - 54. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R J Hancox, B J Milne, D R Taylor, J M Greene, J O Cowan, E M Flannery, G P Herbison, C R McLachlan, R Poulton, and M R Sears Relationship between socioeconomic status and asthma: a longitudinal cohort study Thorax, May 1, 2004; 59(5): 376 - 380. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Farchi, F. Forastiere, N. Agabiti, G. Corbo, R. Pistelli, C. Fortes, V. Dell'Orco, and C.A. Perucci Dietary factors associated with wheezing and allergic rhinitis in children Eur. Respir. J., November 1, 2003; 22(5): 772 - 780. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Cesaroni, S. Farchi, M. Davoli, F. Forastiere, and C.A. Perucci Individual and area-based indicators of socioeconomic status and childhood asthma Eur. Respir. J., October 1, 2003; 22(4): 619 - 624. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Lau, S. Illi, C. Sommerfeld, B. Niggemann, K. Volkel, C. Madloch, C. Gruber, R. Nickel, J. Forster, U. Wahn, et al. Transient early wheeze is not associated with impaired lung function in 7-yr-old children Eur. Respir. J., May 1, 2003; 21(5): 834 - 841. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Lindbaek, K.W. Wefring, E.H. Grangard, and K. Ovsthus Socioeconomical conditions as risk factors for bronchial asthma in children aged 4-5 yrs Eur. Respir. J., January 1, 2003; 21(1): 105 - 108. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Zheng, S. Niu, B. Lu, X.'e Fan, F. Sun, J. Wang, Y. Zhang, B. Zhang, P. Owens, L. Hao, et al. Childhood Asthma in Beijing, China: A Population-based Case-Control Study Am. J. Epidemiol., November 15, 2002; 156(10): 977 - 983. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G Ng Man Kwong, C Das, A R Proctor, M K B Whyte, and R A Primhak Diagnostic and treatment behaviour in children with chronic respiratory symptoms: relationship with socioeconomic factors Thorax, August 1, 2002; 57(8): 701 - 704. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M.A. Poyser, H. Nelson, R.I. Ehrlich, E.D. Bateman, S. Parnell, A. Puterman, and E. Weinberg Socioeconomic deprivation and asthma prevalence and severity in young adolescents Eur. Respir. J., May 1, 2002; 19(5): 892 - 898. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. L. Kozyrskyj, C. A. Mustard, and F. E. R. Simons Socioeconomic Status, Drug Insurance Benefits, and New Prescriptions for Inhaled Corticosteroids in Schoolchildren With Asthma Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, November 1, 2001; 155(11): 1219 - 1224. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Forastiere, R. Pistelli, P. Sestini, C. Fortes, E. Renzoni, F. Rusconi, V. Dell'Orco, G. Ciccone, and L. Bisanti Consumption of fresh fruit rich in vitamin C and wheezing symptoms in children Thorax, April 1, 2000; 55(4): 283 - 288. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. R Becklake and F. Kauffmann Gender differences in airway behaviour over the human life span Thorax, December 1, 1999; 54(12): 1119 - 1138. [Full Text]

				F. RUSCONI, C. GALASSI, G. M. CORBO, F. FORASTIERE, A. BIGGERI, G. CICCONE, E. RENZONI, and the SIDRIA Collaborative Group Risk Factors for Early, Persistent, and Late-onset Wheezing in Young Children Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., November 1, 1999; 160(5): 1617 - 1622. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. H Shamssain and N. Shamsian Prevalence and severity of asthma, rhinitis, and atopic eczema: the north east study Arch. Dis. Child., October 1, 1999; 81(4): 313 - 317. [Abstract] [Full Text]