RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Contribution of lung function tests in asthma screening: About a respresentative population
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP P2388
VO 40
IS Suppl 56
A1 Ines Saada
A1 Jouda Cherif
A1 Sonia Toujani
A1 Hafedh Zakhama
A1 Yacine Ouahchi
A1 Ben Salah Nozha
A1 Bechir Louzir
A1 Jalloul Daghfous
A1 Nedia Mehiri
A1 Majed Beji
YR 2012
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P2388.abstract
AB Introduction: The major difficulty in epidemiological studies of asthma is due to the methods used to formulate the diagnosis. Studies conducted through questionnaires related frequencies often higher than those of objective tests including measurement of flow rates or airway hyperresponsiveness. we show through this study the contribution of spirometry in the diagnosis of asthma.Methods: A cross-sectional survey, single pass, representative of the general population was carried out in the capital of Tunisia in subjects aged from 2 to 50 years. Informed consent was obtained. Prevalence was determinate through questionnaires, validated and used in international surveys, corresponding to the asthma screening and lung function tests. Spirometry was performed only in subjects reporting respiratory or atopy symptoms. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 18.0.Results: The study included 4470 subjects. There was 40.2% male and 59.8% female. Current asthma prevalence was 6.8% in adults and 5.9% in children. Lung function tests were normal in 92% of cases (839 subjects). There was an airflow obstruction disorder in 11 individuals, 7 of which were reversible. Fifty subjects gain more than 12% in forced expiratory volume (FEV1). Of these, 20 did not report symptoms of asthma but had symptoms of atopy. We deduce that 19.6% of asthmatics had a reversibility and 6,8% were asymptomatics.Conclusions: In the absence of gold standard, it is difficult to define asthma in epidemiological studies. If the measure of bronchial hyperresponsiveness has a specificity similar to questionnaires on asthma symptoms, it is also less sensitive.