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No further increase in asthma, hay fever and atopic sensitisation in adolescents living in Switzerland

C. Braun-Fahrländer, M. Gassner, L. Grize, K. Takken-Sahli, U. Neu, T. Stricker, H.S. Varonier, B. Wüthrich, F.H. Sennhauser, the Swiss Study on Childhood Allergy and Respiratory symptoms with respect to Air Pollution (SCARPOL) team
European Respiratory Journal 2004 23: 407-413; DOI: 10.1183/09031936.04.00074004
C. Braun-Fahrländer
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M. Gassner
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L. Grize
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K. Takken-Sahli
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U. Neu
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T. Stricker
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H.S. Varonier
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B. Wüthrich
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F.H. Sennhauser
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    Fig. 1.—

    Prevalence of atopic sensitisation in adolescents from one study area (Grabs) and from the Swiss Study on Childhood Allergy and Respiratory symptoms with respect to Air Pollution (SCARPOL) sample excluding the students from Grabs versus the study year. ○: Grabs; ▾: SCARPOL; ═: 95% confidence interval.

Tables

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  • Table 1

    Characteristics of study population and prevalence of risk factors in three consecutive surveys

    Characteristic/risk factor1992–19931995–19971999–2000p‐value for trend
    Study participation1324 (74.9)1668 (80.6)1250 (73.9)0.2761
    Male sex630 (47.6)837 (50.2)609 (48.7)0.6211
    Swiss nationality1029 (77.7)1250 (75.4)938 (75.5)0.2654
    Urban residency851 (64.3)1070 (64.2)824 (65.9)0.3306
    Low parental education856 (67.2)993 (61.8)701 (58.9)<0.0001
    Parental farming105 (7.9)93 (5.6)81 (6.5)0.2892
    Mother's history of asthma58 (4.4)88 (5.3)73 (5.8)0.1113
    Father's history of asthma79 (6.0)86 (5.2)77 (6.2)0.6596
    Mother's history of hay fever144 (10.9)181 (10.8)180 (14.4)0.0024
    Father's history of hay fever130 (9.8)192 (11.5)152 (12.2)0.0809
    Breastfeeding951 (73.37)1332 (80.9)1001 (84.2)<0.0001
    No siblings165 (12.7)206 (12.4)131 (10.6)0.0768
    ETS exposure by mother308 (23.3)399 (24.4)303 (25.9)0.1316
    Student current smoker92 (7.0)218 (13.1)182 (14.6)<0.0001
    Single oven heating with wood/coal132 (10.0)244 (14.7)175 (14)0.0123
    Water spots or mildew313 (23.6)362 (21.7)287 (23.00)0.8607
    Carpets in student's bedroom1038 (79.2)1201 (72.7)764 (61.9)<0.0001
    Any pets833 (62.9)1006 (60.3)725 (58.0)0.0132
    Pets in student's bedroom447 (36.5)548 (34.5)403 (33.6)0.1621
    Removed carpets due to allergy39 (3.0)65 (4.0)73 (5.9)0.0002
    Removed pets due to allergy34 (2.6)28 (1.7)31 (2.5)0.845
    Mother filled in questionnaire1108 (84)1409 (84.9)1034 (83.2)0.4408
    Parents perceive air pollution as a risk factor for respiratory disease in child166 (13.3)188 (11.9)136 (11.6)0.2316
    • Data are presented as n (%) unless otherwise stated

    • ETS: environmental tobacco smoke

  • Table 2

    Crude and adjusted prevalence of asthma symptoms and asthma diagnosis in three consecutive surveys according to parental reports and students answers to the ISAAC written questionnaire

    Health outcome1992–19931995–19971999–2000p‐value for trend
    CrudeAdjustedCrudeAdjustedCrudeAdjusted
    Parental questionnaire n132416681250
     Wheeze ever20.919.9 (17.6–22.4)20.719.5 (17.4–21.7)25.222.5 (20.0–25.2)0.14
     Wheeze past year6.75.1 (4.0–6.6)6.85.0 (4.0–6.2)5.74.0 (0.3–5.2)0.15
     Wheeze after exercise9.17.8 (6.4–9.4)8.66.8 (5.6–8.2)8.37.4 (6.0–9.1)0.78
     Speech limiting wheeze1.40.9 (0.5–1.7)1.20.7 (0.4–1.2)1.40.7 (0.4–1.2)0.37
     Asthma ever9.77.8 (6.4–9.5)10.77.6 (6.4–9.1)10.37.4 (6.0–9.1)0.74
    Students' written questionnaire n115813861182
     Wheeze ever18.517.8 (15.4–20.4)17.616.1 (14.0–18.3)20.416.6 (14.4–19.0)0.55
     Wheeze past year9.78.8 (7.2–10.8)9.27.3 (6.0–8.8)10.98.3 (6.8–10.1)0.83
     Wheeze after exercise18.919.3 (16.8–22.0)15.213.5 (11.5–15.6)18.516.8 (14.5–19.2)0.29
     Speech limiting wheeze2.21.5 (1.0–2.5)1.91.3 (0.8–2.0)2.41.6 (1.0–2.6)0.75
     Asthma ever10.89.6 (7.9–11.7)10.18.7 (7.2–10.5)12.39.6 (7.9–11.5)0.98
    • Data are presented as % or % (95% confidence interval) unless otherwise stated

    • Symptom rates were adjusted for study year, sex, parental education, study area, maternal and paternal asthma and hay fever, breastfeeding, number of siblings, heating system, carpets in student's bedroom, pet ownership, getting rid of carpets because of the child's allergy, students active smoking, mother filling in the questionnaire and parental perception of air pollution as a risk factor for their child's respiratory health

  • Table 3

    Crude and adjusted prevalence of rhinitis symptoms, hay fever and sensitisation rates in three consecutive surveys, total sample and subsample with serologic measurements

    Health outcome1992–19931995–19971999–2000p‐value for trend
    CrudeAdjustedCrudeAdjustedCrudeAdjusted
    Total sample parental questionnaire n132416681250
    Sneezing attack without cold and itchy watery eyes last year15.113.2 (11.1–15.3)12.110.3 (8.8–12.0)13.411.5 (7.9–13.5)0.26
    Hay fever17.816.5 (14.4–18.8)15.713.9 (12.1–15.8)18.816.1 (13.9–18.4)0.89
    Subsample with IgE measurements n743831587
    Sneezing attack without cold and itchy watery eyes last year17.213.9 (11.4–16.8)13.811.3 (9.2–13.8)16.015.1 (12.1–18.6)0.60
    Hay fever19.817.1 (14.3–20.2)18.115.6 (13.0–18.5)19.618.3 (14.8–22.0)0.63
    SX1 CAP class ≥235.534.6 (30.8–38.4)37.838.9 (35.2–42.6)36.835.6 (31.3–40.0)0.77
    Outdoor allergens CAP class ≥231.230.6 (27.0–34.3)31.431.9 (28.5–35.5)28.327.4 (23.5–31.5)0.26
    Indoor allergens CAP class ≥221.819.8 (16.8–23.1)24.224.1 (21.0–27.5)21.619.9 (16.5–23.6)0.96
    • Data are presented as % or % (95% confidence interval) unless otherwise stated

    • Symptom rates were adjusted for study year, sex, parental education, study area, maternal and paternal asthma and hay fever, breastfeeding, number of siblings, heating system, carpets in student's bedroom, pet ownership, getting rid of carpets because of the child's allergy, students active smoking, mother filling in the questionnaire and parental perception of air pollution as a risk factor for their child's respiratory health

    • IgE: immunoglobulin E

  • Table 4

    Adjusted prevalence of asthma and rhinitis symptoms (parental reports) in three consecutive surveys, stratified by family history of asthma or hay fever

    Study sample/health outcome1992–19931995–19971999–2000p‐value for trend
    Positive family history of asthma or hay fever n432602494
     Wheeze ever33.2 (27.8–39.1)32.9 (28.1–38.0)33.7 (30.4–41.2)0.52
     Wheeze past year9.9 (6.7–14.1)9.7 (7.1–13.1)5.0 (3.2–7.6)0.02
     Wheeze after exercise9.9 (7.0–13.8)10.4 (7.8–13.8)9.4 (6.7–13.1)0.80
     Asthma ever15.8 (11.9–20.6)16.5 (12.9–20.7)12.0 (8.9–15.8)0.15
     Sneezing attack without cold and itchy watery eyes last year21.2 (16.8–26.3)19.8 (16.0–24.1)23.4 (18.9–28.4)0.26
     Hay fever31.0 (25.8–36.5)30.6 (26.1–35.5)32.0 (27.0–37.3)0.88
    Negative family history of asthma or hay fever n8921066756
     Wheeze ever15.6 (13.2–18.2)15.4 (13.2–17.7)18.8 (16.0–21.8)0.13
     Wheeze past year3.4 (2.4–4.8)3.4 (2.5–4.7)3.9 (2.7–5.5)0.58
     Wheeze after exercise6.9 (5.4–8.8)5.6 (4.4–7.1)6.8 (5.1–8.8)0.92
     Asthma ever5.6 (4.3–7.4)5.6 (4.3–7.1)6.6 (5.1–8.7)0.37
     Sneezing attack without cold and itchy watery eyes last year10.6 (8.7–12.9)7.6 (6.2–9.4)7.9 (6.1–10.0)0.06
     Hay fever12.4 (10.3–14.7)9.6 (7.9–11.4)12.2 (10.0–14.7)0.94
    • Data are presented as % (95% confidence interval) unless otherwise stated

    • Symptom rates were adjusted for study year, sex, parental education, study area, breastfeeding, number of siblings, heating system, carpets in student's bedroom, pet ownership, getting rid of carpets because of the child's allergy, students active smoking, mother filling in the questionnaire and parental perception of air pollution as a risk factor for their child's respiratory health

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No further increase in asthma, hay fever and atopic sensitisation in adolescents living in Switzerland
C. Braun-Fahrländer, M. Gassner, L. Grize, K. Takken-Sahli, U. Neu, T. Stricker, H.S. Varonier, B. Wüthrich, F.H. Sennhauser, the Swiss Study on Childhood Allergy and Respiratory symptoms with respect to Air Pollution (SCARPOL) team
European Respiratory Journal Mar 2004, 23 (3) 407-413; DOI: 10.1183/09031936.04.00074004

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No further increase in asthma, hay fever and atopic sensitisation in adolescents living in Switzerland
C. Braun-Fahrländer, M. Gassner, L. Grize, K. Takken-Sahli, U. Neu, T. Stricker, H.S. Varonier, B. Wüthrich, F.H. Sennhauser, the Swiss Study on Childhood Allergy and Respiratory symptoms with respect to Air Pollution (SCARPOL) team
European Respiratory Journal Mar 2004, 23 (3) 407-413; DOI: 10.1183/09031936.04.00074004
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