Abstract
Aim: To definite the true prevalence of bronchial asthma (BA) in population of adolescents of Russian Federation.
Methods: At the first stage, according to GA2LEN protocol, in 2 research centers (Moscow and Tomsk) a continuous sample of adolescents 15- 18 y.o. from own databases has been created. 12803 teenagers (5000 – Moscow, 7803 - Tomsk) have received the invitation to participate in research by post. Data of 2490 teenagers were included in statistical processing (19,5%: 1480 respondents from Moscow and 1010 from Tomsk). The average age of patients was 15,48±0,02 years.
Results: Cumulative morbidity of BA was marked at 19,9% of all respondents included in research. The analysis of prevalence of clinically diagnosed BA has shown that only 7,2% of teenagers had medical-verified diagnosis (in 2,7 times less in comparison with the cumulative morbidity of asthma). During the complex examination of the select number of adolescents at the second stage of the study the diagnosis of asthma was verified at 5,7% of children from the group with astma-like symptoms and at 4,9% of children without asthma symptoms according to answers in questionnaires (average index was 5,1% of adolescents in group). According to the official data asthma morbidity makes 2836,25 o/oooo. Thus, true prevalence of asthma has appeared to be 4 times less then the prevalence of symptoms registered by patients, in 1,4 times less than “diagnosed illness” according to answers of patients and in 2 times above the data of official statistics.
Conclusions: Use of the standardized indices, with the further clinical screening and complex examination allows to establish true prevalence of allergic diseases.
- © 2011 ERS
