DOES PUBERTY INTERFERE WITH ASTHMA

This study reviews whether, to date, scientific evidence exists that p uberty interferes with the occurrence of asthma. This question was tri ggered by th ree points: (a) clinical experience with asthma as a rela tively benign disease that children often 'grow out of'; (b) observati ons implying that asthma can change during fluctuations of sexual ster oid hormones; and (c) knowledge that puberty is an age of deep hormona l changes. No scientific evidence was found that pubertal changes inte rfere with the occurrence of asthma. Nevertheless, there is a general agreement about the influence of age and sex on its outcome. The overa ll occurrence of the disease, which is highest in childhood, declines with age. In the wane phenomena, puberty does not seem to be more impo rtant than previous ages. Furthermore, the pattern of occurrence is di fferent in the two sexes. Boys have more asthma before 10 years of age or the mid-teens. Girls then overtake boys and have more asthma up to the years of sexual maturity. During the fifth or sixth decade, asthm a again seems to become slightly more prevalent in men than women, or at least the difference between the sexes disappears. It is concluded that the risk of asthma is not influenced by puberty. Age and sex seem to be more important factors, although the reason for this is unknown .