THE EUROPEAN STUDY OF ASTHMA - THE PREVAL ENCE OF SYMPTOMS RELATED TOASTHMA IN 5 SPANISH AREAS

BACKGROUND: The European Study of Asthma was designed to study the var iability of the prevalence of asthma in Europe. The aim of the present paper was to report the results obtained on the participation and pre valence of symptoms related to asthma in 5 Spanish areas: Albacete, Ba rcelona, Galdakao, Huelva and Oviedo. METHODS: A sample population of 16,884 individuals between 20-44 years of age was studied with a quest ionnaire adapted from the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. RESULTS: Response was obtained from 14,269 (84.5%) indi viduals, The frequency of symptoms related to asthma over the last yea r varied widely from area to area. Night attacks of shortness of breat h varied from 3.6% to 11.6%; asthma attacks from 1.4% to 3.4%; medicat ion for asthma from 1.2 to 5.6%. The global frequency of these symptom s in men and women respectively was 4.9% and 5.0% in Galdakao, 6.3% an d 6.6% in Barcelona, 9.4% and 9.3% in Oviedo, 10.7% and 9.1% in Albace te and 14.3% and 14.9% in Huelva. With regard to the remaining symptom s, night attacks of coughing and wheezing were of note because of thei r high prevalence ranging, according to areas, from 24.6% and 36.0% an d 13.3% and 33.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:: This Is the first study providing population data on the prevalence of symptoms slated to ast hma in adults In Spain. The global prevalence of symptoms varied from 4.9% to 14.3% in men and 5.0% to 14.9% in women. Although posterior an alysis based on atopy data and bronchial hyperreactivity will allow be tter interpretation of these prevalence rates, they suggest that asthm a is a frequent disease In individuals from 20 to 44 years of age in S pain.