FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ASTHMA IN SCHOOL-CHILDREN

To investigate the factors associated with asthma in school children, a case-control study of 203 asthmatic and 203 non-asthmatic children ( 103 males and 100 females in each group) aged 6 to 18 years, was organ ized during the period September 1992 to May 1993 in Al Ain city, Unit ed Arab Emirates. Cases comprised known asthmatic children who were re gularly receiving medication for asthma and were confirmed as asthmati cs by a physician. Cases and controls were matched by age and sex. A q uestionnaire was used to obtain information about respiratory illnesse s (pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, sinusitis and croup); atopy ( allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis) and familial allergic disease s (parental asthma and atopy). Information about socioeconomic status and limitations to children as a result of asthma were also obtained. Logistic regression analysis showed that bronchitis, atopy (allergic r hinitis and atopic dermatitis), croup, parental asthma and parental at opic dermatitis were significant risk factors for childhood asthma aft er adjusting for other confounding covariates. The model also showed t hat parental asthma (p < 0.0001) is much more influential than parenta l atopic dermatitis (p = 0.01) as a risk factor for asthma. Although p neumonia and sinusitis were significant risk factors when analyzed uni variately, they were not significant after adjusting for other covaria tes. Bronchiolitis, smoking and socioeconomic status were beyond the r each of statistical significance as risk factors to asthma in our samp le.