EUROPEAN-COMMUNITY-RESPIRATORY-HEALTH-SUR VEY

To more precisely analyze the differences of prevalence of asthma betw een countries and to try to explain these differences, the European Co mmunity Respiratory Health Survey was conducted in 48 centres in 22 Eu ropean and non-European countries. The common protocol comprised 2 pha ses. Phase I was applied to a randomized sample of the general populat ion of 3,000 subjects between the ages of 20 and 44 years in each cent re. It consisted of a brief mail questionnaire composed of 7 questions and 2 sub-questions concerning the prevalence of asthma and its sympt oms during the previous year. Phase II then consisted of examining 600 subjects per centre, who had answered the questionnaire, and who subs equently underwent skin tests, serum total and specific IgE assays, sp irometry and a methacholine lest. Mar ked variations of the prevalence of asthma and symptoms were observed between different countries. Nor th-South and West-East gradient was observed in Europe. Variations of the prevalence of allergic sensitization were also observed, which cou ld partly explain the differences observed between some centres. The m odalities of antiasthmatic treatment vary considerably from one countr y to another. In France and Italy inhaled corticosteroids are rarely u sed; inappropriate treatment of asthma was demonstrated in these 2 cou ntries.