PREVALENCE OF ASTHMA OR SIGNS SUGGESTIVE OF RHINITIS IN ADOLESCENTS (13-14 YEARS) IN THE ISAAC SURVEY

The aim of this study was to know the prevalence of asthma or its symp toms within a population of children 13-14 years old included in the I SAAC study. Five towns or areas were concerned : Fos Etang de Berre (F EB) Bordeaux (BORD), Strasbourg (STRA), Marne (MARN) Languedoc-Roussil lon (LR). The crude prevalence to the answer about a history of asthma was 12.9% and and allowed us to create two groups : MARN,STRA (10.6%) and FEB, LR, BORD (14.7%). The crude prevalence to the question about exercise-induced wheezing in the last year, was 21.7% and could diffe reniate two groups: MARN, STRAS, BORD (19.4%) and FEB,LR (25.7%). The crude prevalence to the question about dry cough in the last year, was 27.5% and could differentiate three groups: FEB, LR(29.8%),STRA, MARN (27%) and BORD (24.3%). The sex difference was significant for three symptoms. Asthma prevalence was more frequent in boys whereas asthma s ymptoms were more frequent in girls. These last results must be analyz ed with carefulness because of possibility of Yentl bias. All results are comparable to whose of the literature.